Dr. Robin's Ramblings

Witness Checkup

2012-01-19T04:45:00.001-08:00

During a visit with my doctor last fall he looked at my labs and remarked about how high my triglycerides were. They have always been high but I have never really understood why. So, I asked him what caused that and if there was anything I could do to bring them down?

He said, “Yes, you like ice cream too much.” His answer was so specific that it startled me for a moment.

“How did you know I like ice cream?” I said.

“Because with men your age it is either caused by beer or ice cream and knowing you I assumed it was ice cream.”

We both had a good laugh. I was glad that he knew me that well. It made me think not only about the health of my body but also about the health of my testimony. To my doctor too much ice cream is just as bad as too much beer. But, too much ice cream, while it may be unhealthy, will not make me drunk and endanger the lives of others. To my family, friends, church, Jesus, and most others who see me, too much beer would be far worse.

I have never had a problem with beer. I could never get past the smell, let alone the taste. It always reminded me of peeling peaches over a bucket in the summer when I was growing up. The smell of that bucket of peach peelings in the summer heat was all I could think of whenever I smelled beer. No temptation there.

Ice cream, on the other hand, has always been a treat. I have four ice cream makers. I have one that has a bowl that is kept in the freezer and two that use ice and salt to freeze the ice cream. My family enjoys my ice cream so much that they gave me a new one for Christmas that has a compressor and can make ice cream any time. I love my family!

Too much ice cream could also result in the sin of gluttony, which is just as bad in the eyes of God as drunkenness. I need to be a witness in everything I do. It makes no difference if I am at home, at church, in the doctor’s office, in traffic, at a restaurant, or in the check out line at a store. I want people to be able to see that I am different so when I share Jesus they will put His word and my actions together in a positive way.

Jesus said, “Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16.

I am not ready to give up ice cream just yet. However, I will be careful to take care of my body and always make God visible in the relationships around me.
Bro. Robin

Christmas Boxes

2011-12-28T04:21:00.000-08:00

Christmas boxes are toys no matter what is in them. That is the conclusion I have come to as I watch my grandchildren open their presents.

First there is the wrapping paper around the box. There is a special joy on their faces as they tear off the paper. You can see the excitement and expectation as every layer of paper and box reveals a little more about the contents that awaits them.

Next comes the box. They finally get to see what is inside. Suddenly we see if it is clothes, toys, games, tools, or something totally unexpected. The surprise is half the fun as we watch the excitement being unwrapped.

Some things have to be tried on or played with immediately. Other things are stacked in a corner to be examined later. The fun of giving and receiving is followed by the enjoyment of having something new. All this fun began with an empty box. Before the box could be opened it had to be filled with a present someone picked out with you especially in mind.

Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” Matthew 13:44

A new year is like an empty box. I have heard it said that you only get out of life what you put into it. In fact, I’ve said it a few times. But that saying does not go nearly far enough. Like a present, a new year is also what others put into it for you. We are all connected to the world around us. And, we can find treasure as we unwrap every layer of our experiences of life.

Happy New Year
Bro. Robin

Stockings by the Fire

2011-12-19T20:49:00.000-08:00

I remember as a child waking up on Christmas morning and heading straight for the presents. Some time later in the morning we would remember the stockings that were pinned to the fireplace mantel. They were overlooked mostly because we already knew what was in them. Christmas Stockings at my house were always the same every year. They were white tube socks filled with assorted nuts and fruit and maybe some coins in the toe. Dad was responsible for doing the socks and he was predictable, most years.

After I got married I discovered that Christmas Stockings were a big deal in some homes. Joyce’s family used specially made stockings. They were shaped liked stockings but much larger and decorated for Christmas. In them we found new socks, (I always found it humorous that there were socks in my stocking!), and there were always fun things like pencils, toys, and snack food.

Joyce and I have carried on her family’s tradition. Every year before the presents can be opened we look inside the “stockings.” The actual decorative stockings hang in the living room. In their place we fill gift bags with goodies that the kids and grandkids always look forward to. Some things are practical, like new socks, and there are always fun surprises that we pick out especially for each person.

They say the tradition of Christmas Stockings goes all the way back the St. Nick himself. The original Nicholas was a fourth century Christian who became a lay preacher and because of his extraordinary devotion eventually became the Bishop of Myra, in modern day Turkey. As the story goes, he heard of a man with three daughters who was so poor he could not afford dowries so they could be married. Nicholas wanted to help but knew the man was too proud to accept charity so he walked by his house and threw three gold coins in the window. As it happened, the girls’ stockings were hanging by the fire to dry and by a miracle the coins landed in the stockings. The girls could get married and a legend was born.

Christmas has been a time of gift giving from the beginning. The wise men from the east brought gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to honor the baby Jesus. We give gifts to our children and each other. The gifts may be small or large, practical or fun, but they all represent the love and sacrifice that went into the gifts we give.

Jesus was, and is, God’s greatest gift to us. He continues to give us gifts through his Holy Spirit. As we fill our stockings and give our gifts this year I pray that we will take the time to remember his gift. “For God so loved the world that he gave…” (John 3:16)

Merry Christmas,
Robin & Joyce Cowin

Ready for Winter

2011-12-17T07:59:00.000-08:00

With fall in full force I have been giving some thought to winterizing. I have already winterized most things around my house. The hoses have been drained and the lawn mower is stored. I need more firewood and I still have a few things to take care of but for the most part I am ready for winter.

As I was making my mental list for winter I remembered a time in college when I was asked to help with a winterizing job. A friend of a friend had an opportunity to make some money winterizing greenhouses in the area. He covered them with plastic sheeting that helped protect the glass-covered houses from ice and snow. It seemed like an easy way to make a few bucks so I agreed to help.

The job involved unfolding the plastic on top of the greenhouse and tacking it down at the eaves. It was cold and windy and the plastic was uncooperative. He needed someone light and agile to go to the center of the roof and help with the plastic. He had asked me to do it. It seemed easy enough until I got to the middle and realized that there was no place to put my feet, surrounded by glass, and pushed around by the wind. The sound of cracking glass was unmistakable.

We heard him groan and we all worked faster to get the job done and get off the roof before someone fell through it. When he counted the cracked panes later he said that we would all have to share from our profit to cover the cost. I could see how much this pained him so I volunteered my profit to pay for the glass. He accepted my offer and I later found out that the homeowner was very understanding. He also admitted that he should not have attempted the job with the wind blowing like it was that night. So I ended up being the only one who did not make any money.

Preparing for change costs. Change happens to us often. We experience changes at work, in our families, with our relationships, and the world around us is always changing. We also go through changes at Church. We have to constantly be on our guard against the blowing winds of change and adjust our balance to minimize the cost. But no matter what we do there is always a cost involved.

Jesus often called us to count the cost. It was never a question of whether or not there would be a cost to following Him. He called us to always be ready to make sacrifices. He also promised great rewards for those sacrifices.

He said, “And everyone who has left houses, brothers or sisters, father or mother, children, or fields because of My name will receive 100 times more and will inherit eternal life.” (Matthew 19:29 HCSB)

Obeying Jesus costs us and those around us. We may not see the rewards in this life but we gladly pay the cost because of who made the promise. We cannot stop change. We can follow the one who will lead us through it.
Bro. Robin

Fire

2011-12-15T08:01:00.001-08:00

Fire can warm us and feed us. A warm stove can be the center of a home and represent the warm memories we have growing up. It can also be a problem when it gets out of control. The ability to make and control fire gives us an edge when it comes to survival in this world.

Starting a fire in my fireplace takes skill and patience. The end result is a warm and cozy living room. In addition to the fireplace I also have an outdoor grill. I like to grill all kinds of food when the family gets together. Last year I built an outdoor fire pit for when the weather gets cold. We have already used it once this year for s’mores with the grandkids.

The three grandsons were home with me when I was ready to light the fire pit. I had recently bought a fire starter that could be used for camping. It was a metal stick with magnesium on one side and flint steel on the other. I wanted to show it to the grandkids so I had them gathering sticks and dry grass. I shaved of some magnesium and then lit the metal shavings with sparks made by striking the steel. We then lit a small pile of dry grass and soon had a fire going.

In their eagerness, the boys began piling on more grass but it was green grass this time and they accidently put the fire out. We started the fire again with dry grass and twigs and soon we had a good bed of coals. We pulled out the marshmallows, chocolate bars, and graham crackers and began to enjoy an evening of roasted marshmallows and s’mores. The boys said later that it was the best evening ever. For boys there is nothing better than the combination of fire and sweets.

Paul told Timothy to, “keep ablaze the gift of God that is in you through the laying on of my hands.” (2 Timothy 1:6 HCSB) In the Old Testament a pillar of fire led the Children of Israel by night. Jeremiah said that if he could not speak in God’s name, “…there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones.” (20:9) John the Baptist said that Jesus would, “baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” (Luke 3:16) When the Holy Spirit was given to us they observed that it looked like “flames of fire that were divided, appeared to them and rested on each one of them.” (Acts 2:3)

The Holy Spirit is compared to fire throughout the Bible. Like fire, the Spirit requires fuel and the freedom to burn. The Spirit, like a fire, can be quenched when we insist on doing things our way. The big difference is that a fire out of control is dangerous to our lives. When the Holy Spirit gets out of our control God is free to burn away everything that is not like Him. He wants us to supply fuel of our lives surrendered to Him and keep the fire stirred by obedience to His word. Then He will keep us fed and warm and give us the power to do His will.

Bro. Robin

Clear Waters

2011-12-14T06:44:00.000-08:00

I stood on a bluff overlooking two streams of water as they merged into one a hundred feet below me. It was an amazing view both beautiful and dangerous at the same time.

It had been raining before we got there and we canoed all day in rain. The river had been rising all day and the canoeing got exciting with the high water producing challenging rapids. The danger kept other boaters away and we seemed to have the river to ourselves. We were exhausted when we made camp early in the afternoon.

Our campsite was a cabin next to a spring that could only be reached by boat. The spring flowed into the river along side a high gray bluff that was covered in green. The bluff overlooking our campsite was too great a temptation as we discussed what the view must be like from the top. We forgot our exhaustion as we climbed to the top and took in the view.

We looked down on the clear spring as it flowed into the muddy water of the rising river. At the intersection the water swirled in confusion as if trying to decide if it would continue on clear like the spring or muddy like the river. But the river was more powerful than the spring and we watched as an ugly transformation took place. The rising brown water of the river began to push its way into the stream of the spring. The spring was constant and was not getting any stronger. It became obvious that the river being fed by the rain would eventually overcome the spring if it continued to rise.

That night the river crested and in a few days it was back to normal. The river had turned muddy because the rain ran over the hills and valleys and brought everything that was loose on the surface into the river. The spring never stopped flowing clear water. After the rain stopped the constant flow of cold clear springs eventually cleared up the water and the river ran clear. Soon, the clear river once again attracted crowds of happy people playing in its water.

Thinking back about that experience I am reminded of the passage in James 3:1, “Does a spring pour out sweet and bitter water from the same opening?” No, sweet and bitter water come from two different sources. If they try to merge it will only turn the good water bitter. But when the flow of bitter water is stopped and the sweet water is allowed to continue it will eventually all flow sweet again.

Our relationship with God is our most important relationship. As we draw near to him, the source of all that is holy and good, He clears up the dark places in our life. James 4:18 says, “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.”

Robin

Weeds

2011-12-12T20:26:00.001-08:00

I had yard work chores in my Dad’s yard as I was growing up. But, I did not know the responsibility of my own yard until I was pastoring my first church and we were given a parsonage to live in. I soon found out that there was more to taking care of a yard than just mowing the grass.

One year I had a great crop of weeds. They were prickly and tall with a tough stem. I first tried to handle them like everything else in the yard. I mowed them all down. The weeds, however, grew much faster than the grass and mowing also seemed to encourage them to multiply.

As my problem grew so did my determination. I grabbed a bucket and I pulled them all out. Well, I pulled anyway. Some of them came out roots and all but most of them only came out level with the hard soil. Immediately after the next rain they were back with a vengeance and had multiplied again. They also looked taller as if taunting me with my failure.

I decided to try again. This time I grabbed a hand spade with my bucket. The soil was softer because of the rain. I meticulously removed each weed with the root and any weed that broke off I used the spade and dug out the root.

I actually had a neighbor who drove by and rolled down the window to tell me that will still never work. Every yard in the neighborhood had the same problem and we were just going to have to wait until winter and used weed and feed then, in her opinion.

To everyone’s surprise, including my own, the weeds stayed gone this time. Before the next spring I followed advice and used a high quality fertilizer. That year I had the best yard on the block. I also used the same fertilizer on the Churchyard and saw the same result there.

Remembering that experience always reminds me of the warning in Hebrew 12:14-15: “Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness – without it no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no root of bitterness springs up, causing trouble and by it, defiling many” God’s word is like that spade, digging out the root of bitterness. Pursuing a course that is opposite of peace produces a root of bitterness that leads to trouble. Peace and holiness go together. Peace and holiness both have to be pursued. You cannot have one without the other.

An unwanted root has to be removed completely or it will continue to grow back and multiply. The key to peace is forgiveness, which is also the key to removing the root of bitterness. Forgiveness should be followed up with holiness to keep the root from returning later. Peace, forgiveness, and holiness are personal pursuits that are part of a healthy spiritual life of a Christian. We cannot do this by ourselves but we can do all things through Christ.
Bro. Robin

The Checklist

2011-11-12T11:22:00.001-08:00

Our drive to church every Sunday included as many rituals as the service. Mom would turn around and say, “Let me see you.” Then, a flowered handkerchief was first touched to her tongue and then to my face to scrub off whatever remained of breakfast. Then, I was handed an envelope and a pencil and began to check off the boxes.

Sunday School? That’s where we were going so I checked off the box. Offering? Mom handed me a dime and I checked off the box. Lesson studied? I picked up my quarterly, scanned the lesson, and checked off the box. Attending worship? No need to ask, everyone who went to Sunday school also stayed for worship. Bible brought? Always, the Bible was a precious book and we learned early to take care of it and take it to church. When I had all the boxes checked I added up 100%.

I got my first education in responsibility at church. As soon as I was able I was responsible for getting up and getting dressed for church every Sunday morning. We also went Sunday night and Wednesday night. Sunday morning had the checklist, Sunday night there were parts to present in Training Union, and Wednesday was Royal Ambassadors with books to complete for pins and prizes. I never questioned whether or not we did these things. Even when I was too sick to go to school I don’t remember ever being too sick to be allowed to stay home from church.

I read my lesson to check it off the list. I soon began to look forward to reading the lesson, not because of the list, but because of the things I was beginning to learn. I could attend worship for the points but in order to worship I had to participate. Bringing my bible was a responsibility but reading my Bible developed my relationship with God, who wrote it. In time I came to realize that getting 100% was not as important as giving 100%.

What’s on your list? Are there things you are doing just to check off the list and you hope one day God will pat you on the back and say, “Well done?” Paul said, “For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift not from works, so that no one can boast.” (Eph. 2:8-9 hcsb)

Read the Bible everyday and you will discover the joy and comfort of hearing God speak. Come to worship and experience His presence. Participate in small group studies, like Sunday School, and learn from others who are learning just like you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. (James 4:8)

Robin

Consequences

2011-11-11T12:24:00.001-08:00

My first job in High School was as a lifeguard at a Baptist camp. I scanned the water looking for signs of distress that I had been trained to identify. When I saw someone who needed help I used my training and skill to rescue him or her. Over that summer I rescued many who were thankful that I knew what to do.

I did not know when I took the job that it also required me to help with maintenance duties around the camp. I had to mow the grass daily, which I enjoyed, and clean the considerable number of restrooms every morning, which I did not enjoy. In fact, I had never cleaned a restroom in my life and had to be shown how to do it. I know I did a poor job and worked hard to improve. At the end of the week, no matter how good or poor I had done, I still received the same pay that we had agreed upon.

The custodian at the camp taught me many lessons. One of the most valuable came unexpectedly. He reserved the mowing of one field for himself and had cut the grass in a pattern that left long rows of cut grass that could easily be raked. One night some of us on the staff decided to have fun throwing the piles of grass at each other. The next morning he called us in and handed us rakes. I learned that there were consequences for my actions. I was paid for my disobedience just as I was paid at the end of the week for my work.

Paul said, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom. 6:23) Paul compares sin to having a job. No matter how good or poor you do the wage is still the same, death. Salvation, on the other hand, is a gift, not a job. Jesus dove in to rescue us in our distress. His gift of life gives us freedom from sin and power to do right. He is working in us to turn our freedom into holiness.

Bro. Robin

Mangos

2011-08-12T06:41:00.000-07:00

We were trying to cool off in the warm tropical afternoon by soaking in the local swimming hole. Our mission to the Dominican Republic had occupied our morning with Vacation Bible School and we were all ready for a break. A waterfall cascaded thirty feet or more feet into a pool that a few locals knew about, including Daniel who grew up here. He was standing on the bank and was now holding a brown bag I had not noticed before. He reached in and pulled out a fresh mango and tossed it to me.

I thought I knew how to eat a mango and it has always required a knife. I must have had a questioning look on my face as I held it up and looked at Daniel. He carried another mango with him back into the water and then said, “Watch.” He bit into the mango and began pealing it with his teeth. Mangos can be messy but there was no need to worry about that surrounded by flowing water. I followed his lead and found it to be the most delicious mango I had ever eaten. Not only that, I found that it was fun to eat a mango the way the natives did.

It always amazes me how something as small as eating a mango or sharing a meal can help you relate to someone. Being able to relate can prepare you for sharing the gospel. When I talk to children I sit on the floor and get at their eyelevel. That helps them see me and helps me see them where they are. When I meet someone new I want to know what he or she likes. If I can find a way to identify with them it will help me communicate the gospel. It is not enough to be heard we also need to be understood.

Lottie Moon was criticized in her day for dressing in Chinese attire. Yet, she reached the people and today we remember her for being a visionary as well as a missionary. Paul said, “I have become all things to all people, so that I may by every possible means save some.” (1 Cor. 9:22, HCSB)

Look around you and see if you can discover new ways to relate to the people you meet. What can we do, what changes can we make that will help us present the gospel to those who need to hear and understand? Are we willing to become all things to all people for the gospel?

Bro. Robin

Angel

2011-08-11T05:11:00.000-07:00

As we flew into New York City the Statue of Liberty greeted us off the left side of our plane. For a moment we were so captured by the sight that we put aside the thought that our next flight was only an hour away and we would be very pressed for time. There had been a medical emergency on board and we would have to wait for paramedics before we could leave the plane. By the time we walked out we now had forty-five minutes.

As we entered the airport we looked for directions. I turned left, then right, and spotted a man in a suit wearing official looking badges. I walked up to him.

“Excuse me, can you tell me the fastest way to our next flight?” I showed him my boarding pass.

“Uh, you’re never going to make that.” He looked behind me and saw the rest of our group. “You need to follow me. How many are in your group?”

“Seven,” I said, as we followed him at a fast pace to a door marked AUTHORIZED PERSONELL ONLY.

“You are going to have to stay close together. We only have a few seconds before an alarm sounds so we need to all go in together.” He swiped his key card and we followed him down a stairway to another door that let us out on the tarmac. Outside there was a bus parked that he loaded us on and then got in the driver’s seat. “You asked the right person.” He said.

“This was God,” I replied. “We are on a mission trip and God is taking care of us.” He laughed in agreement as he drove us around the airport and stopped at another door.

“We have to stay together just like last time.” He swiped his card and held the door as we all ran up the stairs and opened a door into the airport.

We found ourselves standing by our gate as the plane was being loaded. We made it by the grace of God and the help of an “angel.” He did not follow us up the stairs and we never saw him again. We gave him our thanks many times as he escorted us. We debated whether he was a real supernatural angel or just a man God used as one. I suppose it doesn’t matter. There were too many factors for this to be coincidence. God was there taking care of us, getting us to our fight to go on mission for him.

We saw God move many times on our Mission to the Dominican Republic. We give him the glory for eight souls saved, four churches ministered to, well over a hundred children and youth in three days of Vacation Bible School, and countless lives touched with the Gospel, including our own. Hebrews 4:12 begins, “For the word of God is living and active…” Sometimes we get to experience his word.
Bro. Robin

Packing

2011-08-11T05:09:00.000-07:00

Whenever I get ready for a mission trip it is hard to think of anything but what I need to pack. I make my lists, pile everything on the floor, pack it all in, then start pulling out those things I don’t really need. It is all too easy to over pack and over think the details.

I remember some of the things we have packed on mission trips. One year we took oatmeal cream pies. By the time we took them out they were mashed so flat we referred to them as crepes. We knew cookies would never survive the trip so Joyce made us energy balls out of peanut butter, wheat germ, and other things. They mashed together and became cubes but were still very tasty. Our driver could not get enough of them!

I always tell team members to bring old clothes to give away. One year we were constantly bugged by a craft dealer who tried every day to sell us his wares. We figured out he liked to barter and many of us traded our old clothes for some nice souvenirs. Everyone was happy.

Packing can be a good spiritual exercise. It forces us to prioritize. You are limited by space and guided by the activities that are planned. We Americans have too much stuff. We have a hard time deciding what to take to go share the gospel with people who are blessed if they have a change of clothes.

When Paul was in prison he wrote to Timothy and asked for three things. “When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, also the books, and above all the parchments.” (2 Timothy 4:13 ESV) He wanted a warm coat, His bible, and his personal notes. Very likely he was arrested with only the clothes on his back. These were his few most important possessions.

I think I need more than that to ride comfortably on an airplane. I look at my carry-on pile and I am with Paul for about a second. I see my Bible, journal, and passport. Then I also see a pillow, earplugs, medicine, flashlight, phone, and a laptop. Okay, I’m just getting started. But what do I really need besides the first three? What do you really need? All we really need is Jesus. That is why we go.

Bro. Robin

Fireworks

2011-07-04T08:46:00.000-07:00

When we were kids we never went to a fireworks display. We always made our own. We pulled out what money we thought we could afford to spend and headed for the fireworks stand. We bought a variety of fireworks that we thought Mom would like to see. Then we spent the rest of the money on firecrackers, cherry bombs, bottle rockets and a few roman candles.

We thought the instructions on the fireworks were funny. We have all read them. “Lay on ground, light, run away.” Are you kidding? We did it a little different. We thought it was more fun to light, throw at friend, roll on ground laughing. Of course, the night always ended the same way. We kept lighting fireworks until someone got hurt. Then we would go home saying next time we will pay more attention to the instructions. Fortunately there were no serious injuries.

Fireworks are fun and we use them to celebrate great events. Independence day, the fourth of July, is one of those great events for us. We enjoy sitting outside at the park with kids and grandkids watching the town fireworks display.

For some people fireworks on the Fourth remind them of the sights and sounds of battle and the price that was paid for our freedom. For others it is the excitement of celebrating our freedom with noise and lights. We should also remember that the freedom we have to assemble and watch the display is the same freedom that guarantees our freedom to worship God as we want. Fireworks are a bold statement that we enjoy our freedoms loudly and deliberately.

Paul said to the Corinthians “…Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” (2 Cor. 3:17). We have the freedom to be still and know God. We have the freedom to make noise about it. Praise God for our freedom, with a joyful noise!

Bro. Robin

After the Storm

2011-07-02T19:31:00.000-07:00

We were driving home from visiting the grandparents near Kingfisher, Oklahoma. The countryside between Kingfisher and Okeene, where I was pastor at the time, was so flat that our four small children made a game of seeing who could spot the red stoplight in Okeene first. We were more that ten miles out when I heard one of them call out from the back seat of our station wagon.

“I see Okeene!!”

As we approached the turnoff that would take us north and home I looked west and saw that the little town of Hitchcock, less than a quarter of a mile away, was completely covered in a thick black cloud that went from the sky to the ground. I turned north and turned on the radio as I remarked, “Looks like they are really getting it in Hitchcock.”

A few miles down the road the radio announced that there was a report of a tornado on the ground at Hitchcock, Oklahoma, and there were damage reports coming in. There were no serious injuries. It was not much of a town before the tornado. I realized that we had seen a tornado but I did not know what I was looking at as I drove by it. There was no funnel, just a big black cloud that I learned later was a wall cloud and the tornado was inside it.

Recently we spent another evening watching the weather and making sure we had everything important in the closet in the middle of the house. Tornadoes have been devastating to many areas this year. Several of them have been close to us both physically and emotionally.

We spent many years doing our shopping in Joplin, Missouri. As they called out the streets and businesses that were destroyed we thought about the last time we saw them. I spent many hours visiting church members at St. Johns Hospital. I have been in nearly every part of that hospital at different times. Just down the road from them is Freeman Hospital, the other major medical facility in Joplin. We need to pray for them also as they took as many of the patients as they could from St. Johns, as did many other hospitals in Missouri and Arkansas.

Tornadoes are natural events over which we have no control. In fact, there is little in life that we can really control to the extent that we would like. The Bible does not promise control or complete protection from such things. God’s word promise peace and restoration. He promises that there is something better later.

The hedge of God surrounded Job and yet he went through events that cost him everything. In the middle of it all Job said, “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth.” (esv) In the end Job was blessed far more than at his beginning. That is the promise of God that we can put our trust in.
Bro. Robin

Making Points

2011-05-28T12:34:00.000-07:00

This week I went to a soccer game with my grandsons. As a grandparent I am understandably proud of the remarkable ability of each of them. They are each on different teams and they have a good attitude about it all even when they occasionally play each other. That was what made this game particularly fun. One of them played goalie for one team. The other played a field position for the other team. The parents kept score while the kids just played.

As a spectator there is more to watch than the game. There are players on and off the field. Children are made to play. They play all out with each other or against each other. If there is no game to play they will invent one.

Adults want to play but many of us have forgotten how. For some it is enough to experience the game through our children. For others it is all about the competition. The realities of life have taken all the fun out of the game and instead it becomes a battle.

The two groups of adults are easy to spot. One group sits and enjoys the game while other children play around them. The other group stands or walks the sidelines. This group always keeps score and you always know who to ask if you want to know where we stand.

Everyone at the game is committed. Some are committed to cheer the play while others are committed to score points. I see the same two groups in other areas of life whether it is at work, play, or church. Some are committed to enjoy the moment and the blessings God gives with every new experience. Others are committed to making points, impress, and get ahead.

Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also,” Matthew 5:21. I think about what he said as I watch the game. For me, it is not the points. I see two boys on opposing teams and I want them both to enjoy the game. They are my treasure and I want the best of blessings for them.

Our treasure should be people, not points. Points are a part of this world “…where moths and rust destroy,” (19). Love is forever.

Robin

Hidden Danger

2011-05-25T09:16:00.000-07:00

We drove down a road in southern Missouri on our way to a place we had planned to spend the night. We were four college friends on a camping trip. The weather had been rainy for several days. As we came to a bridge we saw that cars had stopped on either side of the swollen river. The water was going over the bridge, an a few yards of the road leading to it, but it did not seem to be very deep. We debated with each other about crossing the bridge under these conditions. Some thought that the raging river underneath the bridge made it too risky while others thought that the shallowness of the water over the bridge made it safe. We decided that since no one else was crossing the bridge that we would turn around and find another way.

The next day we picked up a paper and saw on the front page a picture of the very bridge we had seen the day before. The caption under the picture described how the force of the water had moved the bridge and repositioned it a few yards downstream. While it looked like everything was normal the road leading to the bridge now led to the river. Disaster and death was hidden by a few inches of water that kept the casual observer from seeing the truth.

What was it that kept us from attempting to cross the river that day? If we had stopped to ask we would have been told that the bridge had moved. But we did not stop to ask. If we had gotten out of the car and looked closer we would have seen what the shallow water was hiding. But we did not stop to look closely at the danger.

We discussed it among ourselves and compared our experience and our observations. It looked safe to the risk takers but dangerous to the cautious. The deciding factor was the simple observation. No one else was crossing the bridge while many were looking at it.

We may not always see the hidden dangers that are in front of us. They can be hidden by something small, as small as a thin rush of water. A crowd of people may be nearby and the casual observer may think that their presence also means approval. A closer look at the crowd may reveal that they are looking at the danger but doing nothing to keep people away from it. The crowd can hide the danger and we can get a false sense of security when we rely on the presence of others to protect us from danger.

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” (John 14:6) We may not always see the danger but we can always trust in God. In Christ is real security. He gives us the vision to see the dangers we can avoid, strength to overcome the dangers we cannot avoid, and wisdom to face the dangers from which we need to learn. He promised to always be with us, in rain or shine.

Robin

Brothers at our Side

2011-04-27T08:28:00.000-07:00

I enjoy the occasional fishing trip with my brothers. I have four older brothers and while they often fish with each other I am usually too far away to go with them. The times I have gone with them have been memorable. We all learned to fish with our dad who was an avid fisherman.

On one occasion four of us were fishing side by side in an icy stream trying to catch trout that had just been released upstream. There were many other fishermen there that day looking for the right spot and best lure to catch fish. If the lure we had on did not work we would step back away from the stream and tie on a different one.

My oldest brother, Charley, was fishing in between Ross and Jerry, and I was just downstream from them. Mike had found a place off to himself. Charley stepped back to try a different lure when a stranger walked up and started casting from Charley’s spot.

“Hello,” Charley said.

“Just trying to get closer to the water,” answered the stranger.

“I can help you get closer to the water,” replied Charley, as he stood up and stepped toward the stranger.

The stranger, with a startled look, did not answer, but picked up his tackle and walked away. I am sure he did not have a clue that the men standing on either side of him were all brothers. We stood there acting almost disinterested during the whole incident, but fully aware of what was going on.

Charley looked at Ross and Jerry and asked, “Why didn’t you say something?

They both started laughing and one of them said, “We were just waiting to see what you were going to do. Looks like you didn’t need our help.”

Sometimes we look at the stream in front of us. It may be the street that connects our house to others or the hallway that connects us at work. We know that Jesus calls us to be fishers of men. He wants us to tell the other people around us about him and invite them to come with us to hear his good news. So what is stopping us? Are we afraid? Do we feel alone in this stream?

There are brothers on either side of us too. Jesus promised we would never be alone. Psalm 34:7 says, “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.” This is one of my favorite promises. No matter where I am he does not just show up when I need him. He camps around me all the time.

When I stand at the stream to fish for people I am surrounded by brothers on either side. There are other fisherman, Christian brothers and sisters, and God’s presence always there to encourage me.

Do not be afraid. Invite those around you to hear the good news.

Brother Robin

Fruit Trees

2011-04-05T09:46:00.001-07:00

When I was growing up there were always fruit trees in the yard. In the backyard there were apple, peach, pear, and cherry trees. At the far back of the yard we had a big garden with grape vines and plum trees on one side. In front there were cherry bushes that produced small but delicious red cherries at just the right height for me to grab a handful as I mowed the grass in the summer.

I always helped Dad with the pruning and the harvesting. I was small enough to climb high and toss the fruit down to waiting hands. We all helped put the fruit up in jars for canning. I enjoyed it so much that Joyce and I still pick and can fruit every summer. I now have blueberries, grapes, and raspberries I am nurturing for future enjoyment.

Producing fruit takes time, patience, and some skill at working the trees, bushes, and vines. Branches have to be pruned to make the fruit better. Good fruit does not happen by accident.

Paul tells us in Galatians 5 that we are to walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh. When we do we can avoid the works of the flesh and will practice the fruit of the Spirit. In the middle of the discussion on the fruit of the Spirit he says, “Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit we must also follow the Spirit.” (5:24-25, HCSB)

This direct connection between the fruit of the Spirit and crucifying the flesh reminds me of the pruning necessary for good fruit. When we seek and practice the fruit of the Spirit we are crucifying the flesh and its desires.

Fruit is made to carry the seed. God wrapped the seed inside a delicious fruit so we would eat the fruit and discard the seed and the result would be more fruit. The fruit of the Spirit works the same way. When the fruit of the Spirit is genuine it passes from us to those around us and they become bearers of the same fruit.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22, HCSB) Every single person bearing genuine Spiritual fruit can help us all bear fruit of the Spirit.

Bro. Robin

One lane or the other

2011-04-05T09:43:00.000-07:00

“Make up your mind, get in one lane or the other.”

Driving down the road I often find myself talking to the other drivers. I know they cannot hear me. And, it is probably a good thing they can’t. Like when I am on a wide four-lane highway and the car in front of me is on a Sunday drive.

We don’t do as much Sunday driving as we used to. That’s when we used to get out with the family and just drive around and look at the countryside. These days I still find myself referring to people who drive slow and watch the scenery more than the road as Sunday drivers. Going for a drive should be enjoyable but one must still pay attention to the road and be courteous to those around them.

There is a safety problem when a driver is not paying attention to the lanes. He is a danger to himself and to others around him when he cannot drive in one lane or the other. He can drift into another car or run off the road. Pay attention to the lanes and everyone is safer.

Paul told the Galatian Christians, “Walk in the Spirit and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.” (Galatians 5:16 HCSB) You have a choice. You can walk in the Spirit or you can walk in the flesh. You cannot do both at the same time. Get in one lane or the other.

If you walk in the flesh you will do all sorts of things that you know no one should do. You will be immoral, hateful, rebellious, selfish, divisive, envious, a drunk, and anything similar. (verses 19-21). You will chew on each other and spit each other out. A person who has no problem with that will not inherit God’s Kingdom.

If you walk in the Spirit you will love your neighbor as yourself and fulfill everything God requires of us. Not only that, but if you walk in the Spirit you will also avoid the dangers and pitfalls of walking in the flesh. Get in one lane or the other. Better yet, get in the right lane and walk in the Spirit.

Robin

Like Riding a Bike

2011-01-26T12:37:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite Christmas gifts was a bicycle. I could not wait to learn to ride it. Dad made it his job to teach me. He told me a few simple rules. Then, he held his hand on the back of the bicycle seat and gave me a push.

The first few times he let go I went a few yards and fell over. It soon became apparent that I needed the lessons he was trying to teach me. I have also learned that these lessons are still important. Rules teach us many things beyond the rules themselves.

First he told me to keep my balance and peddle. If I stopped either one I would fall. Balance and motion go together. We cannot stand still. We were not made that way. We were made with arms and legs and a mouth, ears, and senses. We were made to go places and experience things. Where we go and what we experience are up to us. That is where the balance comes in. We can pedal too hard and lean too far and still fall and hurt ourselves.

Next he told me to go straight. Going straight is not only a part of keeping balance it is also necessary for learning how to control the bike. You cannot learn how to safely turn until you first know how to go straight.

Another important rule is to learn how to use the brakes. Why is that not the first lesson? The purpose of a bike is to go not to sit still. Dad showed me where the brakes were before I got on the bike. But knowing where they are and learning how to use them are two different things. You can only learn how to use the brakes if you are moving.

He also told me to stay on the road. That is important if you want to stay safe. There are dangers off the road that can be avoided if you stay on the road and watch where you are going. There are also hazards on the road such as pot holes, rocks, hills, etc. Learning to control the bike is part of the experience and comes with practice.

Finally, enjoy the ride. If you follow the rules you will get to the place where you can feel the wind in your face and enjoy the whole experience. That is the goal and when you get there you realize that was the reason for the rules all along.
Paul said, “So then, the law was our guardian, (teacher), until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith.” (Galatians 3:24 ESV) The purpose of the law is to teach us grace. It is just like learning to ride a bike. If you reject the rules you will fall and get hurt. Follow the rules and enjoy the ride.

Robin

Responsibility

2011-01-11T19:57:00.000-08:00

When I was growing up my first job to take out the trash. As I got a little older I was also allowed to take matches and burn the trash. That required more responsibility because I had to stay there and watch it until the flames died down. Later, as I got bigger, the job of mowing the lawn was added to the list.

I was expected to do my job as needed without being asked. In return I was given an allowance, fifty cents at first, of which I gave a dime for my offering every week. When my hobby changed from comic books to model cars my allowance was raised to two dollars, and my offering was raised to a quarter.

If I forgot to do my job, my Dad only had to say, “Go mow the grass,” once and I was walking out the door to get the mower. That is how I learned responsibility. I didn’t do it for the money or because I might be punished if I disobeyed. Those consequences never came up because it never occurred to me that I had a choice. I knew what was expected and I did it.

Jesus began his ministry with the direct command, “Follow me,” (Matthew 4:19) and ended his ministry with another command, “Go.” (Matthew 28:18-20) Everything in between was related to either the first command or the last. The last command is called The Great Commission.

The wording of the Great Commission in Acts tells us not only to go but where to go. “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8 ESV

The Great Commission is neither optional nor transferrable. In other words, we all need to do our part. This is what is expected of all of us. We cannot have someone do it for us.

When we talk about different jobs in the kingdom I most often hear about jobs like teaching, and prayer support. When Jesus was describing the parts available for us all to do he did not list those things that come to many of our minds. Jesus talked about places, parts of the earth, where we are to go.

We may not all be able to go everywhere but we can all go somewhere. Some of us can go across the street with the love of God. Some of us can go around the world. The Great Commission is our responsibility for all of us to keep. What is your part?

Robin Cowin

Tinsel

2010-12-09T18:56:00.000-08:00

Christmas begins when the tree is decorated. At least that is the way it was when I was growing up. This tradition has continued with our family as we watched our children, and now grandchildren, grow up. This year our grandkids helped decorate. Decorating is always more fun with the help of little hands.

When I was young my job was always the tinsel. The ornaments were fragile and mom preferred putting them on the tree herself. Tinsel has all but disappeared these days. The tinsel we used was in long strands of shiny foil that we draped over the branches of the tree to look like icicles. There were two kinds of tinsel to put on the tree. There was the old tinsel and the new tinsel.

The old tinsel had been carefully removed from the tree strand by strand the year before and laid in a flat box for easy use next year. However, sometime during the year the box had been moved and every year the tinsel had formed an unruly ball of slightly dull sparkle at one end of the box. We would painstakingly remove as much usable tinsel as we could, put it on the tree, and throw the unusable remainder of the tinsel ball in the trash.

The new tinsel was not only easier to use it was also much shinier than the old. We tried to blend the old with the new in such a way that you could not tell the difference. But the only way to do it was to put the new tinsel over the old. That way the tinsel looked thicker from the old tinsel underneath and shiny from the new tinsel on top.

When Jesus comes into our lives he does not merely mingle his new life with our old life. Some things in our life that are contrary to Christ have to be removed. A few things that are useful to him, such as our talents, he covers completely so that the life we live shines with his presence.

Like Christmas trees we decorate our lives with symbols that tell a story. It is up to us what story we reveal. We can try to make the most of the old tinsel or we can let Jesus cover us with the shiny new light of his grace for all to see. As we all shine together the world will see that His gift to us, the real gift of Christmas, is his love that gives us new life in him. Merry Christmas.

Robin & Joyce

Thanksgiving

2010-11-24T06:32:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is a time to visit family. When our kids were small we would spend Thanksgiving with my parents in St. Louis and Christmas with her parents in Oklahoma. It was a practical thing since St. Louis, in those days, was at least a twelve hour drive from where I was pastoring in Oklahoma. Her parents lived closer and since the weather was more likely to be bad around Christmas we opted to stay closer to home for that holiday. This plan called for a long trip with four small children in a small space every Thanksgiving.

We planned ahead. We would pack the car with our luggage, pillows, and toys for the kids. Then, on Wednesday morning we got up early, carried the sleepy children to the car, and headed down the road. They woke up briefly, and excited, then went back to sleep, for a while. It was an adventure.

When we got to the house we settled in and looked for ways to be helpful preparing the feast for the next day. Since we were the only ones staying at the house Joyce was always asked to put the turkey in the oven. So we had to set an alarm the morning after that long trip to take care of our annual duty. This became a running joke and today when one of our daughters stays with us the night before thanksgiving we remind her that it is her job to get up early and put the turkey in the oven. Of course, with grandkids around no one sleeps in anyway.

The original thanksgiving was a celebration of survival. The Pilgrims had a festival that lasted several days and included feasting and games. Today we celebrate God’s blessings on a different scale. Now we celebrate survival the day after Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving Day is a day of blessings. We are blessed with family, food, a warm home, and lots of laughter. Most of all we remember that all of these blessings come from God who loves us and sent us his Son.

Thanksgiving Day to Christmas should be a season of Thanksgiving. Jesus is the reason for which we have so much to be thankful.
R. Cowin

Road Trip

2010-11-07T13:17:00.000-08:00

Road trips can be fun times for family and friends. Our grown children like to tell stories about our road trips when they get together. We soon forget about the stress and headaches and remember only the fun and laughter.

Jesus traveled everywhere on foot with his disciples. The system of roads maintained by the Romans improved commerce for the public and made it possible for the gospel to be spread all over the known world. Using the roads to spread the gospel was a big part of His plan. In Mark 6:7-13, and 30-32, He gave His disciples some rules of the road to follow as they carried the gospel from place to place.

Take someone with you. Jesus sent His disciples out in pairs. No matter where you are going, whether you are going to Church, going on a mission trip, or just going through life you should always travel with a friend. In Ecclesiastes 4:9, Solomon tells us that, “Two are better than one.” You need a friend for companionship. While we may enjoy being self-sufficient we do not enjoy being lonely. You need a friend who will tell you what you need to hear, whether you want to hear it or not. You need a friend who will hold you to higher standards, who will pray with you and for you. Do not go alone.

Take a few supplies but travel light. Jesus was practical. He told them to take a staff and sandals but not take extra luggage, food, or money. In other words, take care of your body but remember it is a journey of faith. God promises to take care of us along the way. He also expects us to take care of those things He has already given us. He will feed us and clothe us. We need to eat healthy and wear clothes suitable for the mission. A deacon with a heart for missions once told me that if you say you are willing to go wherever God calls but do not have a passport you are not really ready to go.

Take time to rest when the journey is done. When things got really busy Jesus invited the disciples to come with him to a secluded place to rest, (Mark 6:31). We too should accept hospitality from those who help us along the way. The day of rest is in the law for a reason. We need to take the time to rest and share our experiences, remember our blessings, renew our strength, and return to the road.
Bro. Robin

Hospitality

2010-10-30T08:26:00.000-07:00

There is no doubt in my mind that hospitality is a spiritual gift. Those who have it make it look easy. I appreciate that because I have to work at it. I have seen some great examples of hospitality who have taught me much about showing mercy to others through hospitality. There are those close to me who have the gift and part of the nature of this gift is that they would not want to receive any credit for it.

One of our dear friends from the past was a real southern lady named Rae. Many times we ate at her table in Kentucky with her husband, John. There were plates of fried chicken or country ham, mashed potatoes and gravy, and there were always pies.

After dinner she would pull a tall stool up to the sink and start on the dishes. We always offered to help but she always turned us down in her gentle but firm way.

“No,” she said, “I’m just working my way out of a job.”

She wanted us to enjoy the visit and not work. We often stayed at the kitchen table to talk while she listened. I think she liked that. She spoke with a smile in her voice and a twinkle in her eye. Yet you also knew there was no point arguing with her. She was a small lady who had a big presence in her home. Her husband, John, looked twice her size when they stood together, yet in her home it was obvious that she was the queen of the house.

Rae had the gift of hospitality. One of the most restful vacations we ever took was a trip to Rae’s house when the children were small. Rae watched the children while John took Joyce and me fishing. Rae taught the children that chores can be fun. She taught them hospitality and the meaning of kindness.

Hebrew 13:2 says, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” (ESV)

Rae is in heaven now and I am sure she is still entertaining angels. I can hear her now whenever I get close to finishing a project, (and if you are helping me you might just hear me say), “I’m just working my way out of a job.” Let’s all celebrate the gift of hospitality with an act of kindness today.
Bro. Robin

Almost Perfect

2010-10-12T06:50:00.000-07:00

The other night I made dessert for my grandsons Nick, Ben, and Xander. Two of them, Ben and Xander, wanted root beer floats and one, Nick, wanted a purple cow, an ice cream float made with grape juice. I was running out of vanilla ice cream so I carefully divided what I had in juice glasses. I filled Nick’s glass with grape juice and the others with root beer and sat at the TV while they enjoyed their floats. I was concerned about the shortage of ice cream. So, when they were done I asked Nick how he liked his purple cow.

“It was almost perfect,” Nick said, as he flopped into a chair near me. I said nothing about the ice cream as I smiled at his response.

I thought about Nick’s response and wondered what it was that made that one so good that Nick would pronounce it “almost perfect.” Was it that particular ratio of ice cream to juice? Was it a combination of things earlier that ended with just enough sweetness to make the whole affair, “almost perfect?”

I wonder about my attitude sometimes. When things are going good we can easily spot the bad things that keep it from being better. When things are going bad we find it so easy to complain. But, when was the last time I took my eye off all that, focused only on the good, and pronounced the day, “almost perfect.”

Paul said, “We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose.” He did not say it was all good but that it all worked together for good. Maybe there is not enough ice cream but there is more than enough juice.

Sometime when you find yourself at the end of the day focusing on the bad things that happened go get some ice cream and your favorite juice. Put them together in a glass, sit back and say to yourself, “That was almost perfect.” It may surprise you how quickly a change in focus can produce a change of attitude.
Bro. Robin

Getting Ready for Revival

2010-10-02T06:43:00.000-07:00

There were a few tears shed this week as the old three-story education building came down. It had served its purpose well over the years. Construction began in 1946. The wood was milled locally and the frame was all made of oak. The frame was still strong but the wiring, plumbing, and numerous other problems made it necessary to remove the building. We will now be planning a new building on that site to house our education ministries to meet the challenges of a new generation.

It is fitting that we turn from tearing down the old building to Revival this coming week. Life always moves from old to new. Seasons change and we continue to grow and change with the changing world around us. As people we sometimes complain about change as if it somehow caught us off guard and we are not ready to change. As Christians we are taught that Christ came to transform us into his likeness and prepare us for the greatest change of all, eternal life.

Paul said: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” 2 Corinthians 5:17-18.

It is not so much change as it is transformation. It is not and end but a challenge for the future. Because we are new in Christ, and have a new relationship with God, we have the ministry from Christ to bring others to him for the same relationship.

I see people who claim to be Christians but live their lives separated from God. I see no involvement in the ministry of Christ that indicates that they are reconciled to God. They don’t get it. And we had done a poor job explaining it. We need Revival. We all need Revival.

Come to Revival and bring someone with you.
Bro. Robin

Shifting Gears

2010-09-10T14:35:00.000-07:00

I remember the first time I got behind the wheel and drove a car. I was in grade school, when grade school went through eighth grade, and an older friend of mine had driven his dad’s car to school. I was in fourth or fifth grade and could barely reach the pedals and see over the dash at the same time. It was a stick shift on the column, as were most cars of that time. I pushed on the gas, let up the clutch, and drove around in circles on the playground for a few minutes. I never got out of first gear. Fortunately it was someone else’s turn by the time the principle came out and put a stop to it.

Later in life I would get a driver’s license and own cars that would take me places all over the country. I love to drive and I love to travel. Sometimes I think our spiritual life is a lot like those standard transmission cars. You have to shift gears if you want to get anywhere.

First gear is for starting. A car is heavy and it takes a low gear to move it from dead stop to action. Salvation gives us life in Christ. When we are first saved we learn so much about following Christ. We go through baptism and become a member of a church. We learn how to pray and study the Bible and tell others about Jesus. Just as a car was not made to run in first gear we were not saved to stay in a spiritual learning mode. We will only be able to go around in slow circles unless we get up to speed and shift into a higher gear.

Second gear is for accelerating. We shift into second when we want to get to third. We also fall back to second when we have been in third but the road gets steep and conditions around us slow us down. My prayer time every day is my second gear. Every morning I pray with Joyce and then I pray over a list. I pray and then read the Bible and listen and God gives me strength for the day. Sometimes we get slowed down by circumstances beyond our control and it is good to know we can downshift and get back the power and speed we need.

Third gear is for going places. You cannot drive in third gear in the parking lot, at least not safely. This is the gear in which the car was made to drive. Different cars may have different cruising speeds but they were all made for the road, to take us places. A car that sits in the garage too long will deteriorate. Failure to use a car will cause the engine to corrode, the battery will fail, and the tires will rot. It was made for a purpose and that purpose was to go places.

We were made for a similar purpose. We were made to follow Jesus and then to follow his commission to take the gospel to the world. (Matthew 28:18-20) To stay in the garage, or even to drive in circles in the parking lot, is not our purpose and will cause us to deteriorate spiritually. He did not redeem us to become rusty relics. He redeemed us to race on the roads to make this world his realm.
Bro. Robin
(See also Hebrews 5:12-14 and 1 Corinthians 3:1-2)

40 Days of prayer

2010-08-25T08:23:00.000-07:00

Your response to the challenge to commit to Forty Days of Prayer for Revival was overwhelming. I asked you to commit to special prayer on one of the forty days. There were 49 names on the list at the end of service and many more told me that they were committed to participate but did not get their name on the list. This kind of commitment to prayer will change our lives, our church, and our community. Thank you.

Jesus spent forty days in the wilderness being prepared for His ministry. He was tempted by the devil and delivered by the Word of God. When He came out of the wilderness Luke 4:14-15 reports: “And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and a report about him went out through all the surrounding country. And he taught in their synagogues being glorified by all.” That is what we are seeking. We seek the power of the Spirit that sends a message through the surrounding country.

The Word of God has an answer for our struggles. Jesus’ experience points out three major temptations that we all face. We are tempted by pleasure, power, and pride. God’s alternatives are better. God’s eternal purpose outweighs our momentary pleasures. His power in us is greater than any power we could ever hope to achieve in this world. It is better to be obedient to God’s plan for us than to be destroyed by pride.

Visiting house to house on a mission trip stirs up talk in the community. On more than one occasion I have had people catch up with my group and ask us to please visit their house. When we really show Jesus in our lives people want what we have.

We have had revivals in this church that everyone wanted to attend because everyone knew something was happening that only God could do. A good word given in the power of the Spirit can reach a community.

Sometimes we are tempted to give up. Keep praying and keep looking up. When temptations come you know deliverance is on the way. And, with deliverance comes power!
Bro. Robin

Seasons Change

2010-08-10T11:01:00.000-07:00

We have had a great summer here at First Baptist. Our summer programs, Terrific Tuesdays and Tremendous Thursdays, were a huge success thanks to the leadership of Mary Bailey and Regina Morris. Thank you Mary and Regina! They were also surrounded by an army of volunteers including some youth and parents. We have seen several children make decisions to follow Christ this summer and that is always a good sign of God’s favor as His Holy Spirit moves among us.

As I watered the garden early this morning I thought about the heat and how much longer we have until cool weather. This summer has been a hot one. The bugs I have fought for the flowers and the fruit seemed endless! I was glad to see the bugs die off and I know the gardening will slow down soon. The season will come to a close and a new season will start.

The end of summer is marked by events rather than weather at most homes. For us it means the end of summer programs at church. For some it is the end of family vacations. It is also the beginning of things like school and fall programs. Teachers and students prepare to return to the classroom. At church we are preparing for Fall Revival.

The end of summer is a time of change for everyone. A saying attributed to Mark Twain says, “The only person who likes change is a wet baby.” We smile at such sayings and maybe even deny that we are like that. It is everyone else who will not change the way we want! We are all in favor of change as long as we are in control of what changes.

Truth is, we are not in control of any change but the changes we make to ourselves. We can control how we react to change. We can change our attitudes and actions. We cannot change the people around us. We can pray, trust God, and let Him change us first.

Reinhold Niebuhr said, “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.” Jesus said, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33, ESV)

Revival is the result of prayer. It is just that simple, and just that difficult. As we go through seasonal changes I hope you will take time to consider some spiritual changes we each need to make. Take time to pray for a new vision for your relationship with God. Pray for Revival, personally. Let God be in control of your changes and you will be much better for it.
Bro. Robin

Memories of VBS

2010-07-27T12:14:00.000-07:00

Do you have a favorite Vacation Bible School memory? This week we are having Vacation Bible School in our church. Vacation Bible School holds special memories for me. Several things from my past experiences stand out in my mind.

One of my favorite memories is Grandma Noakes’ cookies and Kool-Aid. When I first started going to VBS Grandma Noakes was a special person to our church. She would come to classes and tell us about coming to America on a ship when she was a little girl. Everyone was fascinated by her stories. She also served refreshments at VBS handing out sandwich cookies and cups of Kool-Aid. I remember it was then that I first started dunking my cookies in the Kool-Aid. It is such a special memory that I still like dunking cookies in my Kool-Aid.

There are memories of the friends made along with the crafts, songs we sang, and our pastor leading us in the opening assemblies. I think those are some of the reasons that I still enjoy Vacation Bible School.

Another experience that has stayed with me from VBS was the challenge to memorize verses of scripture. Many of the verses that encourage me today I memorized as a child in Vacation Bible School. I have forgotten the crafts I made and the games we played. But the verses I memorized from the Bible are still with me.

“Your word have I hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.” (Psalm 119:11)

Every year I get to see the same look in the children’s faces that I remember having as a child. I see the touch of God through the hands of volunteers and the difference that touch makes in the lives of children. The touch of God through your hands will change lives too.
Bro. Robin

Simple Ingredients

2010-07-09T13:27:00.000-07:00

The fourth of July weekend started for us the day before we all got together to celebrate. Joyce and I enjoy having the family over for celebrations. We not only enjoy the family together we also enjoy working together to get everything ready. One of my favorite things is to make ice cream and it starts the day before.

For me, ice cream begins with making custard. I separate the egg yolks, heat the milk and sugar, and combine them to make sweet custard that will be made into ice cream the next day. It is just cream, sugar, and eggs but combining them takes practice and timing. If you go too fast you end up with scrambled eggs. Done right you can make great ice cream to top one of Joyce’s delicious pies, or eat all by itself.

A few simple ingredients put together in the right way make a sweet treat. That is true about a lot of things. Many of the best things in life are simple. Put them together in the right way and you have something enjoyable. Put a mix of people in the right place and time and you have good fellowship. With practice and timing you can take God’s word to a quiet place and discover His will.

Knowing God is not complicated. We make it seem difficult when we want to take shortcuts to obedience and let God know we prefer to do it our way. He gave us His Son Jesus to save us, His Word, the Bible, He taught us to pray, He gave us an example of fellowship with His disciples, and sent them out to witness showing us what to do. He wants us to take the few simple ingredients He gives us and combine them with time and practice.

He reminds us in His word: “…I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship.” (Romans 12:1) With a few simple ingredients our life can become pleasing to God and be spiritual worship.
Bro. Robin

Upgraded

2010-06-25T11:38:00.000-07:00

I plugged in my phone and there was a message that an upgrade was ready to be installed. I let it install the upgrade and then spent some time learning about the changes. They had added some new features and made improvements to some old ones. The upgrade to my phone is a new and improved version. I like upgrades.

I was flying back from Louisville with my daughter a few years ago. As we checked in for the flight the airline representative told us that there were extra seats so she upgraded us to first class for free. The seats were wider and softer, the food was better, (an actual meal with a sandwich and a salad), the service was better, and the mixed nuts were served warm in a special cup. We got to the same place at the same time as the cheap seats but it was a much more enjoyable flight. I never had flown first class, and have not since then, but now I know why they called it an upgrade.

Reading through the book of Revelation there is a lot said about the ultimate upgrade that is waiting for us. We will have a new body, a new place to live, (Jesus called it a mansion), and more wonders than we can imagine. In Heaven everything will be provided, “no longer will they hunger; no longer will they thirst…and God will wipe away every tear form their eyes.” (Rev. 7:16-17).

I had no idea what first class was like until I experienced it for myself. I just knew it was an upgrade and when it was offered to me for free I did not hesitate to accept. Heaven is the ultimate upgrade and it is offered to everyone for free. There are no cheap seats to Heaven. Jesus chartered a flight and paid the way for all His followers. We only have to accept God’s plan to upgrade our life and get on board.
Bro. Robin

On Mission

2010-06-14T07:13:00.000-07:00

What does it mean to be a missionary? Simply put, a missionary is sent to go and tell. A missionary is sent by a local church on a mission to go somewhere and tell the people there about Jesus. We go because we love Jesus and that is what He told us to do. Our vision statement says we are “The Church Across the Street and Around the World.” Our mission is from Jesus.

“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the mane of the father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20 (hcsb)

The Great Commission is for every Christian. How we carry it our may be different for each of us. But we are all called to be on some kind of mission. We are all called to go and tell.

This summer a lot of us are either going on a mission or preparing to go on a mission. Some are going to distant places like Iowa, or the Dominican Republic. Others are staying closer to home working with our summer ministry, a small group, or a Sunday school class to do ministry. Many stay at home and support those who are going with financial and material support and with prayer. Everyone can do something.

Are you on mission if your church is on mission? Not necessarily. Being on mission is deliberate. If you are called to be on mission you deliberately go and tell. If you are called to support you must deliberately give to missions. If you are called to stay and pray you must deliberately pray for those on mission daily, and for those lives they touch.

What is your mission this summer? Being on mission is active participation in the Kingdom of God. Be a missionary. Go and tell!
Bro. Robin

Shortcuts

2010-05-23T20:53:00.000-07:00

I like shortcuts when they save me time. When I get familiar with an area I will often take the back roads when it cuts off miles and gets me there quicker. I drive to see my mother in law and have learned the back roads to get to her home. Some streets have a slower speed limit than the main road but the more direct route is still quicker.

I have observed students taking shortcuts in classes when they are required to read books. There are movies of the books and notes that have summaries with condensed versions of the story. As an English major in college I always preferred to read the book. In fact, the notes were more helpful after reading the book for writing a paper or taking a test. I found that those who wanted a “C” used the notes while those who wanted and “A” read the book.

When you want to do something right there is often no shortcut. I am often amazed at how much effort some people will put into trying to avoid work. Yes, I could have paid more for tomato plants with tomatoes already on them. But I would still have to plant them and care for them the same as the ones I have. The work I put into them will only make the fruit taste sweeter.

There is no shortcut to doing God’s will. There are times when it is so rewarding that it seems effortless. There are also times when things go slow and it seems hard. Both times are necessary. It is like exercising to condition our bodies. It takes time. Without exercise we would become weak. With exercise we grow stronger. There is not shortcut to becoming strong in body or in Spirit.

Paul said, “…Train yourself in godliness, for the training of the body has a limited benefit, but godliness is beneficial in every way, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.” (1 Timothy 4:7b-8, HCSV)

Read “The Book” and you will be ready for the test.
Bro. Robin

The Spoon

2010-05-13T20:23:00.000-07:00

I finally returned the spoon. It had arrived at our house accidently with a dish we had taken to a fellowship at a couple’s house. The dish was empty except for the spoon which had accomplished its purpose finding the end of the dish’s contents for the last person who used it. We washed it and set it aside to return. I then carried it around in my briefcase for a while. Then one Sunday during the welcome time I remembered the spoon and returned it to its owner.

I like spoons. Spoons remind me of the end of an especially good meal when all that is left is the gravy that you cannot seem to get with a fork. Joyce will ask me, “Do you need a spoon?” I can pick up my spoon and enjoy every delicious taste. Spoons are also great with ice cream and pie!

I read a story about a fork, maybe you have too. There was a woman who wanted to be buried with a fork in her hand. When asked why she said that it was because whenever she ate with someone and they told her to keep her fork it meant that dessert was coming. That is how she felt about Heaven. The fork reminded her that something good is coming.

A spoon reminds me that we should enjoy every blessing. I think we rush through things too quickly. When blessings come our way we shout a quick thank you before turning our attention to the next thing. We should take time to enjoy the blessings we have received and let the joy of His blessings linger on our heart..

Psalm 37:4 says: “Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart.”

Look around at the blessings you have seen recently. Take time to be thankful. Ask God for a spiritual spoon and enjoy every delightful taste of His presence.

Bro. Robin

Faulty Faucets

2010-04-29T08:04:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago Joyce pointed to the handle of the hot water on the kitchen faucet and asked me if I had seen how bad it was leaking. I knew it was loose since I had to tighten it occasionally but now it was also leaking all over the cabinet.

Somewhere early in our thirty-five years of marriage she decided that I was Mr. Fixit when it came to things around the house. It is an illusion that I try to maintain by fixing anything I know something about, some things more successfully than others. A leaky faucet was a prime opportunity to maintain my reputation.

On my next day off I went to the store and sought out the plumbing supplies. I knew the problem was likely a worn seal and since it is always good to maintain seals and seats I found the replacement parts for both sides of the faucet, hot and cold. The hot side had always run slow, no pressure, and a plumber had told us that since the line ran under the concrete floor there was no way to fix it. Now it was not only slow but leaking too. So, I thought maybe I should replace the inner workings of that side in case that was where the leak was and save myself another trip to the store.

I turned off the water, took apart the faucet, replaced the parts, and turned the water back on. Whoosh!! Suddenly the hot side was running as strong as the cold side.

“Well how about that!” I thought. It was not a problem with the pipes after all. The faucet was fixed by replacing the old parts with new ones. It was a faulty faucet that foiled the flow!

How many of us are restricting the flow of God’s blessing through our lives with faulty faith? We try to live with it and convince ourselves that our weak faith is normal for us. We try to fix it ourselves by tightening up some habits. Eventually we realize that anything we do is only temporary. This is a work only God can do and only by giving us new inner parts. We cannot change our habits until God changes our heart.

God said, “I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from you flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” Ezekiel 36:26

When God changes us on the inside His blessings will flow.
Bro. Robin

Grits

2010-04-13T07:12:00.000-07:00

I stared at the bowl of grits hoping and praying that by the time I lifted the lid they would be miraculously changed into oatmeal. No, there they were, bits of corn meal floating helplessly in a bowl of wallpaper paste.

What a waste of good corn meal! I considered offering cooking advice to food services. There is a way to cook grits that I happen to like.

Take that same bowl of goo, drain off the water, make a log and cool it in the refrigerator. When it is cool, slice off thin slices, dip them in flour, and fry them until you get a nice crispy crust on the outside. Serve the fried grits with syrup and you have a tasty breakfast.

I read about an author from the north who stopped by a café in the south. He looked at the menu and asked the waitress, “What’s a grit?” The waitress answered, “Honey, they don’t come all by themselves.” When God created the world He proclaimed everything good until He looked at Adam all by himself and said, “It is not good for the man to be alone.” (Gen 1:18)

We are not good alone. We need each other to be happy. We need each other to see and fulfill God’s purpose. “O taste and see that the LORD is good.” Psalm 34:8

I have friends who like grits any way you cook them. I respect their sense of taste even if I do not share it. I think that this is the way God looks at us. When we are bound together by the glue of His Holy Spirit God looks at us with pleasure and anticipation. He does not look at us as a waste but as a valuable person in His kingdom. He is not looking at me wishing I was someone else. I can only be who He made me to be. I just want to be one of His grits.

Bro. Robin

Just One More Thing

2010-03-30T06:26:00.000-07:00

One of the things that happened periodically during my time in the hospital recently was for a nurse or a doctor to come in and tell me what to expect before I would be allowed to go home. I began to quickly notice a disturbing pattern. One person would come in and tell me one thing and the next person would tell me that plus one more thing. One day it was a test that started as a simple scan and was changed four times before I actually took the test. Then it was the medication. Next it was one more night to observe me on the medication. It was always just one more thing.

When Jesus was on the Cross He said, “It is finished,” then He bowed His head and gave up His Spirit, (John 19:30). While His human task was finished there was still more to come. The third day after the cross He walked away from His grave resurrected from the dead. He had one more thing to do to prove God’s power of life over death. Later, He appeared to His disciples and told them to wait for one more thing, the promise of the Holy Spirit.

When God says, “Just one more thing,” He has something good in store for us. He promises eternal life with an eternity filled with more than He could tell us, more than we can imagine. He promises a life filed with His presence. When we pray for Revival we are praying for a renewal of His presence within us and our relationship with Him.

As the Disciples watched Jesus ascend into Heaven angels appeared to them and said, just one more thing, “This Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come in the same way that you have seen Him going into heaven.” (Acts 1:11)

Bro. Robin

Prayer Meetings

2010-03-09T07:47:00.000-08:00

I remember when I was a child we would have people over at our house for prayer for a couple of weeks before Revival. They were called “Cottage Prayer Meetings” because they were always held in homes. They were happy times with conversation and the smell of coffee. Then they would all bow their heads and almost everyone prayed. I remember the Revivals that followed for all the people who went to the altar and went away changed by the touch of God.

Revivals have taken place over the centuries in many different places and groups big and small in and out of churches. The one thing they all have in common is the prayer meeting. Every great Revival in history began in a prayer meeting. From the time Jesus ascended into heaven the Disciples and followers of Jesus met for prayer daily. An unstoppable movement of God resulted that we call the Church. Revival is first a revival of prayer.

In prayer we make contact with the God of all creation. In prayer we appeal to the savior who has promised to redeem us by His mercy. In prayer we receive salvation and the seal of our salvation, the Holy Spirit.

Jesus said, “If two of you on earth agree about any matter that you pray for, it will be done for you by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there among them.” (Matthew 18:19-20 hcsb)There is something special that happens when you meet in a group for prayer. Jesus is there with you.

I call on you and challenge you to meet together to pray for Revival between now and the Life Action Summit, April 11-18. If you teach or attend a Sunday School class, or belong to a group of any kind, set a date to meet in a home and pray for Revival. If your class is big divide into small groups and pray together. Pray for Revival when you pray with your family. Invite friends over for coffee and prayer. Meet at least once, more if you can, and pray together for Revival. By all means and at every opportunity pray for Revival.

Bro. Robin

Pray for a Change

2010-02-24T07:48:00.000-08:00

In 1 Timothy 2:1-8 Paul begins by saying, “First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone…” and concludes this thought with, “Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or argument.” (HCSB)

It is obvious that we should consider prayer our most important activity, as Christians. If we are to have an impact on our world, if we are going to see lives changed, we must pray for people and for that change. Paul urges us to use every kind of prayer we know to pray for every person we know and those whose positions affect our lives.

We are to pray with “holy hands” lifted up. As I thought about this I realized that there are several reasons that we lift our hands that apply directly to prayer.

First, we lift our hands in surrender. That is what makes them holy. When we surrender ourselves to God our hands become His instruments, separated to do His work. Raising your hands is a universal sign of surrender. We cannot serve God unless we belong to Him and when we surrender to Him He becomes our owner, our Lord.

Second, we lift our hands to welcome. Waving to someone is a warm way to say hello or goodbye. It is a sign of affection. We open our arms to greet and embrace people we care about. We reach out our hands to shake the hand of another in a sign of acceptance. When we pray we must pray with affection toward God and toward those for whom we pray.

Third, we lift our hands to draw attention to ourselves. We raise our hand when we know the answer. We know that the answer to every question of our heart is Jesus. We raise our hand to acknowledge that we personally know the answer.

Finally, we raise our hands to celebrate. As I watched the Olympics this week I saw many winners raise their hands in victory as they crossed the finish line or completed a successful program. I remembered my training in high school gymnastics when I raised my hands at the end of the routine to show that I had stuck the landing and that I deserved a high score.

In prayer, we do not raise our hands for points. We raise our hands in prayer because we are celebrating in confidence that the God who made the universe has heard us. “And if we know that He hears whatever we ask, we know that we have what we have asked Him for.” (1 John 5:15, HCSB)

Robin Cowin

The Harvest Heart

2010-02-19T08:57:00.000-08:00

We are all different. We come from different backgrounds and experiences in our lives. As a result, these experiences affect our hearts and also affect the way we receive God’s Word.

In the parable of the sower, (Matthew 13:1-23), Jesus uses the field to describe four different kinds of heart conditions and how that changes the way we receive God’s Word. In this parable we can also see what kinds of changes God makes in our heart in order for us to participate in His Kingdom.

The parable of the sower is taken out of the common experiences of Jesus and His listeners. Everyone who lives in a small agricultural community sees how the farmer works and usually has a hand in helping their neighbors with the field work.

As a young pastor in my first full-time church I learned quickly that when it was harvest time everyone was in the field. Our church was in a small town in Oklahoma wheat country. One day a farmer came by my office and asked me if I could drive a wheat truck and work for him during harvest. He said it was expected that I work for someone and that all our church was in the field anyway. That is how I learned about farming. I was no farmer but farming quickly became a common experience for me with that church.

Jesus no doubt had a similar experience as a boy. He grew up in a small town in an agricultural community. Tradition has long held that His family was carpenters. However, there are no major parables from the carpenter’s shop, but there are many from the field.

These parables describe for us spiritual truths about the Kingdom of God in language we can understand. The parable of the sower is important to our understanding of what kind of heart is necessary for us to receive the word of God and begin our relationship with God and His Kingdom. Here is a brief summary of the Parable of the Sower. (I will go into more detail later.)

The Calloused heart is the path that goes through the field. As the farmer sows the grain he carries a bag of seed and throws it out on the tilled soil. Where he walks creates a path. So, since the tilled ground is so important the farmer will always follow the same path so that he does not disturb any more soil than necessary.

The path is easy. The path is the place that has the appearance of being close to the farmer. However, it is too well traveled to take root in the soil.

The path is exposed to the enemy. Since the seed lands on the top of the hard path the birds can see it and take it for food. This soil of the path is not simply shallow. This represents a belief that is disconnected from the tilled soil. It is a faith that is held in the hand, not in the heart. That is where you want your things, not your faith.

The Castaway heart is the pile of rocks around the outside edge of the field. Faith in the rocks is shallow. Desperate people fall prey to shallow emotionalism. DL Moody noticed that people in poverty responded favorably to a message of God’s love. In God’s love there is hope. Emotions are essential to religious experience but cannot be the basis for your religion.

Faith in the rocks is faith on the rocks. Without depth we cannot withstand the storms that follow us in life.

The Cluttered heart is the place along the fence where the weeds grow. Clutter is distracting. You can get lost in the weeds. Clutter is restricting. You can get stuck in the weeds.

The Cultivated Heart is the Christ Centered heart. The cultivated heart is open to receive God’s word the way tilled ground accepts the seeds. The cultivated heart activates growth.

Robin Cowin

GPS

2010-02-10T07:37:00.000-08:00

I drove my grandsons to school one day this week. I know where the school is but just for fun I brought along my GPS. GPS stands for “Global Positioning System,” and it looks like a miniature TV that mounts to the windshield just above the dash. I can put in an address and it will give me directions in a kind but robotic female voice that we have nicknamed “Carmen.”

The boys, Nick and Ben ages eight and Xander almost five, were fascinated by Carmen. I was equally fascinated by the conversation coming from the back seat.

“Poppa, what is that? Is that your coffee? Why does it look like a sippy cup?”

“Why are we going this way? Remember last year in Colorado when the GPS got us lost?”

I reassured them that it would not get us lost. Then, when we had one more right turn before we could see the school, I heard Carmen say, “Now turn left…”

“No Poppa. Turn right, our school is right there. See? The GPS is wrong!” I heard, with much laughter in their voices. I knew the way and they were right. Carmen was wrong.

On the way home, after dropping off the boys, I thought about all the directions we hear in our lives from many different voices. They do not all take us where we want to go. Some will even get us lost. We need to know the way.

Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths.” (hcsv)

God’s Word, the Bible, is the only sure road map we have. His directions will get us through life and take us all the way to Him. God has a different GPS called God’s Plan for Sharing, (through His Son, Jesus). Sometimes we need to pull over, stop, and look at the map. Then we can start again in the right direction toward the summit of God’s plan for your life.

Bro. Robin

Getting God’s Attention

2010-01-29T06:22:00.000-08:00

My first job in High School was as a lifeguard at a public swimming pool. I scanned the water looking for signs of distress that I had been trained to identify. When I saw someone who needed help I used my training and skill to rescue them. Over those few years I rescued many who were thankful that I knew what to do.

In 2 Chr. 7:12-16 God tells us the signs He looks for to know when we need His attention to rescue us. We also think of these signs as conditions for Revival.
Verse 14 says:

"If My people who are called by My name humble themselves, pray and seek My face, and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land." (HCSB)

God hears His children. There are several things that tell us that we are His children. First, His children are called by His Name. Calling ourselves a Christian is more than a title. It means that we identify with Christ and have invited Him into our heart. We call it being born again because we are born into His family by the Holy Spirit. Our lives start over from that point. We have a new name and a new family because we have a new life in Christ.

Our new life includes some new activities. His children humble themselves. Children humble themselves when they make themselves useful through obedience to their father. His children Pray. Children communicate with their parents by talking to them. We talk to our heavenly Father through prayer. His children seek his face. Children need to spend time with their parents in order to see things from their perspective. Today we use the expression, “See where he’s coming from.” To seek someone’s face means to see where he is going.

There is no forgiveness without repentance. In Alice In Wonderland, Alice asked the Cheshire Cat, "Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?" The Cat answered, "That depends a good deal on where you want to get to." Our moral decisions depend on where we want to get to.

God’s desire is to heal His Children. He forgives us when He hears us.
Bret Harte said:
If, of all words of tongue or pen
The saddest are these, "It might have been."
More sad are these we daily see;
"It is, but hadn't ought to be."

When we turn from our ways to God’s way He forgives us and will heal our land with Revival.

Robin

The Parable of the Snow

2010-01-03T09:29:00.000-08:00

(Matthew 13:1-23)

Late Saturday night it began to snow. As the fluffy white snow fell to the earth some snow fell on the road. Although it was the same snow that fell everywhere else it was considered hazardous and the road crews were soon out removing it. They plowed and salted and plowed again until all that was left was a salty, sandy slush along the sides of the road. The roads are always the first place people look to see how much snow we have. But snow on the roads only gets in the way and is the first place we want it removed.

Some snow fell on the roof tops but it did not stay long. The wind blew some away and exposed part of the roof. When the sun came out it shone through the thin layer of snow and heated the roof to melt away the rest of the snow. Even though snow on the roof is sometimes considered the prettiest of all snow it is gone before we can really appreciate it.

Some snow fell in the yards in reach of all the children. As soon as they saw it they gathered up their winter clothes, put on their boots, and ran outside to play in the snow. For a while, there was laughter and squeals as they made snowballs, and snowmen, and used their sleds to slide down every clear hill they could find. The snow was fun but the fun was temporary. Snow men and sleds turn our attention away from the danger snow can be in other places. We can become distracted or lost in snow. Or, we can use it for our own purpose but even that only lasts a short time.

Some snow fell on the fields. The fields were beautiful in a blanket of snow. As the snow melted the moisture seeped down into the soil until it reached the hard winter wheat that was waiting for the snow to arrive. The blanket of snow kept the moisture in place allowing the wheat to soak in it and begin to grow. As the winter ends and the snow melts you can see the green tops coming out of the ground. The wheat will grow through spring and in the heat of summer it will be ready to harvest.

What kind of snow is your faith? The snow on the roads was in the wrong place at the wrong time. The snow on the roof was shallow and melted quickly with the heat of the sun. The snow on the yard was fun for a time but when the fun was over so was the snow. The snow in the fields made the wheat grow. Wheat becomes flour to give us life for many days to come. It fills and satisfies us in many ways, like the wheat roll I had for breakfast.

Dr. Robin H. Cowin

Lost and Found

2009-12-28T06:15:00.000-08:00

I thought I lost my wallet. I looked everywhere, the bedroom, bathroom, throughout the house, and the car. I retraced my steps that day since I had taken it out to get gas. I called Wal-Mart and Marvin’s grocery store. I called Joyce and she put my credit card and debit card on hold. Fortunately I do not carry a lot of plastic. Before heading to Wal-Mart to check the parking lot I swung by the house for one more look. I walked into the bedroom and pulled up the bedspread. It was under the bed. Now, how did it get there?

One day later I reached for my cell phone and it was not there. I had been in the house and in the car. It was in the car. I muttered to myself, “Next it will be my head.”

The day after that we watched the weather get worse and the snow begin to fall. I thought about the generator in the shed and thought it would be a good idea to fill the big gas can, just in case the power went out. I unlocked the shed, opened the door, and leaned it to pick up the gas can. Wham, I hit the top of my head. It was a good thing I was wearing a hat. It still left a mark, though.

I was three for three doing something dumb each of the three days leading up to Christmas. It had to get better. I remembered a bumper sticker that read, “Of all the things I’ve lost I miss my mind the most.” I know the feeling.

Christmas day arrived complete with a blanket of white snow. It was a White Christmas! We woke up to happy sounds of grandchildren playing in the living room. We spent the morning cooking together as a family. The ham and all the trimmings were perfect. We read the Christmas story from the Bible, opened presents, and finished out the day playing games.

Heaven is just a breath away. The things we lose are nothing in comparison to the things we gain. Christmas reminds us of this. All the stress and pain we experience leading up to that day are quickly forgotten in faces that surround us as we remember Christ’s birth and share our love with each other.

I am glad Christmas comes at the end of the year. It is the perfect opportunity to remember what is truly important as we begin a new year. God bless you and have a Happy New Year.

Bro. Robin

Being A Gracious Receiver

2009-12-11T06:22:00.000-08:00

Christmas is a time for giving and receiving. We all like to recieve eventhough we say it is better to give. We say there is a gift of giving. I think there is also a gift of being a gracious reciever.

When I was growing up I enjoyed gift giving times. I was the youngest in the family and always got presents from everyone. I piled all the presents on a chair in the living room so everone could see. I was not a very gracious reciever. In time I out grew the need to show off my presents.

I have spent most of my adult life in ministry. Over the years I have recieved gifts for a lot of reasons. I have learned to accept them graciously because of the lessons I have learned through these gifts.

First I have learned that people give gifts because they want to bless someone as they have been blessed. This understanding has helped my recieving and giving. When I see a gift as a blessing I stop looking at the practical use and accept the personal value it was given to express. A gift is a part of the giver they want you to have.

A gift is also an expression of love. Love is more than a part of the giver. A gift of love is an expression of what they wish they could give. There are times when we would give the world if we could. So, we give a symbol of our wishes and dreams.

I like gifts that are creatve and fun. Gifts are about the relatinship between the giver and reciever. We give of ourselves when we give and we accept the person when we accept the gift .

Christmas reminds us that we cannot separate God's gift from His person, and His desire to have a relationship with us. "For God so loved... He gave ..."

Merry Christmas
Bro. Robin

Thanks(for)giving

2009-11-25T08:22:00.000-08:00

Thank you. These are words that we use to show our appreciation when repayment is inadequate. Sometimes I think the words are overused. At other times the words fall short of the full measure of our feelings of gratitude. We are thankful for a gift. It may be a deed or a present but it is always at the hands of another person. Mostly I am thankful for the person.

I do not say thank you to my car for delivering me places. It is not an expression for things that do their job. I might say thanks to the mechanic who keeps my car running. When I had a warning light flash on my way out of town I called him and he stayed open late to check it out and get me on my way safely. I said thank you several times to him.

In Ephesians 4:11 Paul says, “And He personally gave some to be…” The gift in this passage is the person. In fact, for me many of God’s best gifts are the people He has placed in my life, as I am sure He has in yours.

Thanks for giving of your time, talents, and treasure to build God’s kingdom in His church. Your gifts are not only appreciated but necessary for us to be the Church God wants us to be. As we celebrate Thanksgiving with our families take time to remember the people who have been gifts to you this year.

Bro. Robin

Priceless Pearls

2009-11-11T08:51:00.000-08:00

Jesus tells the story, in Matthew 13:45-46, about a merchant who was searching for fine pearls. When he found one of exceptional quality, a priceless pearl, he sold everything else to buy that one. The interesting part of the story is that he was looking for so special, not to see how many pearls he could accumulate. He knew that hidden among valuable items there was something beyond value, worth everything he had.

Sometimes the treasure we go looking for is the most valuable to us. Sometimes it is the hidden treasure that we find along the way that means the most to us. The pearl merchant’s story may appear to have been an accidental discovery, one pearl among millions, but it was a discovery he was prepared to make. He committed his life to keep his eyes open to see the priceless among the average in a world surrounded by value.

The parable is about the kingdom of God. Finding Jesus and having a relationship with God through Him is not another pearl. He is a priceless pearl worth giving up everything to have. He considered us each to be a priceless pearl as well.

The discovery of priceless pearls brings about life changing experiences. Our relationship with God is a priceless pearl. Finding a spouse, a life-long friend, is a priceless pearl. Some words of wisdom are called pearls. Learning a life changing lesson and making an important decision can be priceless pearls too.

How many of us see the world around us filled with valuable treasure? And then, how many of us have our eyes tuned to see the exceptional among the valuable? Maybe I have become a cynic, but I do not know many pearl merchants. I think this story challenges us to raise our standards, open our eyes, and see the pearls that are all around us. There are valuable people, valuable moments, and valuable opportunities that pass before our eyes every day. We have to be able to see the pearls before we will ever be able to find a priceless pearl among them.

This month of thanksgiving I thank God for the pearls He has placed around me. I am especially thankful for the priceless pearls that change my life for the better, and the ability He has given me to recognize many of them.
Bro. Robin

Change

2009-10-25T21:06:00.001-07:00

As we drove from western Arkansas through eastern Oklahoma we were taken by the beauty of the tree covered hills. One wonders how God could combine so many shades of red, yellow, orange, and brown with an occasional splash of green leftover from the summer to create such a panorama. The view was breath taking beautiful. Our conversation was constantly interrupted by, “Look at that one.”

We look forward to fall and the spectacular views of the changing colors. The colors are not the only changes that fall brings. The temperature changes, the sports we watch change, time even changes, and for some our jobs may also change.

Change comes to us all. So why do we all have so much trouble adjusting to change in so many areas of our lives? Change is a regular part of our society and culture. Yet anytime we make changes to our personal routine it takes an effort to make the change.

Perhaps that is the pattern I am looking for. We celebrate change that affects us all. We deliberately drive through the country to watch the changing seasons. But our discomfort with change seems to grow as the change becomes more personal. Changes in our routine in our life, our job, and even in our church takes us longer to appreciate.

I read a quote recently that the only person who likes change is a wet baby. I can’t seem to find the source but it sure makes sense. Sometimes we may even agree that the change is necessary but just do not get in there and help make it happen. If we could get as excited about changes we need to make as we do about the changing seasons we might see good things happen more quickly.

Change is an important part of the Christian life. There is no salvation without repentance, which means change. Paul said, “We will not all fall asleep, but we will all be changed,” (1 Cor. 15:51) One day we will be called to the ultimate change. We will change from mortal to immortal. I don’t think any of us will drag our feet when that trumpet sounds.

Bro. Robin

Appreciation

2009-10-12T14:46:00.000-07:00

There are some expressions that are so common that when we use them we all know what we mean. For example, when I say, “my better half,” everyone knows that I am talking about my wife. When we say, “our pride and joy,” we all know that we are talking about a child, usually a baby. We know this because the feelings we have about our children are as universal as the expression. As our children get older we may stop using such expressions to describe them. But the feelings of pride and joy never go away and never diminish.

We share in the experiences of our children. We may be disappointed from time to time. When they hurt we hurt with them. When they are happy we are happy with them. When they are appreciated for something they have done, we feel appreciated right along with them.

This month you showed your appreciation for my son, Eric, for his service to our country and his sacrifice. The crowd that came for the dinner was overwhelming as you honored Eric and Andria. Congressman John Boozman’s appearance was also a special honor, arranged by some of our members. Eric well deserved your attention that day. My heart was full of pride and joy for my son and for all of you who were there to show your appreciation.

This was also Clergy Appreciation month. I thank you for the way you showed your appreciation when you also honored the staff with many kind words and a dinner. You pulled out all the stops and blessed us more than I can say. Personally, I felt honored two weeks in a row. You showed your appreciation for my family, my co-workers (who are like family), and me. Thank you.

This is a great church and this is what makes this church great. My prayer is that our love and appreciation for each other will grow and spread. This is the heart of the Gospel that we are taking across the street and around the world.

God Bless you for your love for Him and for us.
Bro. Robin

Reminders

2009-09-30T08:15:00.000-07:00

As we were moving the seasonal decorations from the doorway to our home Joyce noticed little things hidden among the decorations that she had not put there. There among the summer decorations were toy soldiers and cars. It was obvious the grandchildren had been there. They had played some game of their own invention and when they were called away for supper or something else of importance, they left behind little reminders of their presence.

Last week we attended a meeting that included a lot of old friends from our past. It was really good to renew old friendships. We also saw how the experiences of our lives together affect us all. When we allow people to touch our lives we touch each other. They leave an impression that affects us in ways that we may not even realize for years. We leave reminders of ourselves in the lives of others.

I thought about the many places we had lived and the people we have known. Scattered along the way are little reminders of our presence. Most of those experiences were good, some of them regrettable. I remember a bit of advice I often give to people: As time passes we tend to remember best the good things in life and remember less the bad things.

Everything we touch is changed by us in some small way. Everything God touches is changed in a significant way.

Paul said, “We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose.” Love God and keep the goal of God’s purpose in sight. When we seek God’s touch, the reminders of ourselves we leave along the way will point to God.
Bro. Robin

Keeping Score

2009-09-10T05:41:00.000-07:00

“This is not a competition,” I said, as the teams were reporting on their day.

We were on a mission trip and had divided up into teams to share the gospel in different areas. It was not supposed to be a competition for a number of reasons. We were sharing the gospel to lead people to a relationship with Jesus Christ. To do it right takes time. Doing it wrong does not take as much time. So numbers may not be a good indicator of success. It may only reveal speed and a need to do more follow up.

“Okay, so how many did you get?” a team member asked.

It is human nature to be competitive. Some people are naturally more competitive than others. We keep score in order to know who wins. There are winners and losers. Sometimes we have the attitude that if somebody is going to win it might as well be me. I find that annoying mainly because I know I have that attitude at times, and am praying to change it in my own life.

There is a problem when we feel the need to keep score at everything. There are a lot of times when keeping score is more than annoying; it is the wrong thing to do. We should keep score at friendly games, but not with friendships. We should keep track of debts we owe, but not of wrongs committed against us. Marriage, family, Church, and work are all places where keeping score is wrong.

We can sometimes make a game out of an activity and make it fun and easier to do. Friendly score keeping as part of such a game can bring out the best in us. Unkind score keeping to prove a point of one-up-man-ship can destroy a relationship.

In speaking about love in the classic chapter, 1 Corinthians 13:5b, Paul said, Love, “does not keep a record of wrongs.” (HCSB) Love does not keep score and does not have to win.

When people in a relationship feel that they have to win and someone has to lose they both lose. On the other hand, when we want someone else to win and we set aside our needs for someone else, we all win. That is love, and that is the Gospel truth.
Bro. Robin

Change with a Purpose

2009-08-27T15:08:00.000-07:00

“I am the resurrection and the life.” (John 11:25) Jesus said this on the way to the cemetery. His friend Lazarus had died and Jesus was on His way to see him. He was not going to a funeral. The funeral had already taken place. He comforted Lazarus’ sisters with talk of resurrection. But they did not know what Jesus had in mind until it was all over. Jesus saw His friend’s death as an opportunity for a new beginning.

New beginnings are not as rare as you might think. Children are born, we start school, and we get new jobs, take on new tasks, and start new things all the time. Some see every day as a fresh new start to something in our lives. Most of the time, in order to start something new, we had to bring something else to an end. We learn as we move through the changes in life that change is good and even small changes can bring great results.

If I can paraphrase Jesus, I believe He is saying to us, “I am a fresh start, a new beginning, and the continuation of this new direction.” Paul said, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17). When God brings new things He brings blessings with Him.

As I look at the start of the new church year I can see many changes coming. An old building needs to come down and a new one will need to be built. Some old programs will need to be traded for new ones. If we are going to be ready to reach people in a changing culture we will need to change some old ideas for some new ones. We have done it before. We can do it now.

Some things will not change. It will always be the same Gospel, the same Great Commission, and the same Great Commandment. God’s Word remains the same even when the ways we communicate change. This Church will continue to be a loving fellowship of God’s people, perhaps even more so. We keep our eyes and ears open to see where God is calling us to His work and our hands and feet ready to go.

Are you ready? Let’s go together and see what God can do with a people united in love for His purpose.
Bro. Robin

Worship

2009-08-12T09:03:00.000-07:00

Worship is at the heart of our relationship with Christ. It is our expression of God’s worth to us, worth-ship. I have seen it defined as our response to God’s revelation of Himself. To understand worship it is something to experience, rather than define.

There are many examples and descriptions of worship in scripture. I find it helpful to focus on a few things that are meaningful and seek to grow in those areas of worship. I have made an acrostic to help me remember some of the most meaningful ways of worship that I have discovered in scripture and experience.

WORSHIP:

Wait on the lord, as a waiter waits on customers. (Acts 13:2)

Organize my thoughts. God brings order out of chaos. (Philippians 2:5)

Remember what I learn. Take notes and bring something home from each worship experience. (2 Timothy 2:15)

Sing. Singing includes praise and like praise it requires participation. (Ephesians 5:19)

Help. A worship service must include service in order to be worship. (Romans 12:1-2)

Intercede for others in prayer. (Philippians 1:4)

Prevail. The message will prevail, (Acts 19:20)

I hope these simple words will encourage you to experience God today. You can find God anywhere if you take the time to look. Take time to experience worship today.

Look to the Future

2009-07-27T19:13:00.000-07:00

This year, in addition to my usual garden fare, I planted some grape vines. I found the plants at nearby Tontitown where they grow many varieties of grapes. I have bought grapes there in the summer to make my own grape jam.

My favorite jam is made from Concord grapes. I make it with the whole skins. That is where the flavor is. It is a slow, painstaking, process to slice each grape by hand to remove the seeds and keep the grapes as whole as possible. There are shorter, easier ways to make jam. But the flavor and consistency is just not the same. There are also many varieties of grapes and some of them are seedless and have a better flavor for eating or making other things. I prefer Concord for my jam because that is the flavor I have always enjoyed the most.

Growing grapes is not easy. My dad had grapes when I was growing up and I remember the work that went into them. They had to be watered, pruned, and sometimes treated with chemicals or fertilizers. The end result could be a good harvest. Sometimes the result was simply a hope for a better harvest next year. Besides the time and work there was always the weather and seasonal elements that only God can control.

One thing is for certain. If you do not plant you cannot harvest. You have to look to the future.

Many of Jesus’ parables are taken from the field. He saw the cycle of growing things as perfect examples to explain our role in the kingdom, and in building His Church. It is his Church, His Kingdom, His vineyard, and we are the workers. He gives us everything we need but we still have to plant the seeds, till the soil, take care of the plants, and bring in the harvest. We have to look to the future.

We live and work in the present. Many times our focus is so caught by the present that we have a hard time seeing how the future is ever going to come out good. We forget how many elements are in God’s hands. Our faith needs to be in Him. While we may plant and water it is God who brings the growth. (1 Corinthians 3:6)

“Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1, CSV) We have many challenges before us and we may not be able to see how we can accomplish them. Our hope is in God as we look to the future.

Bro. Robin

Dizzy or Drowsy

2009-07-19T13:55:00.000-07:00

My ears are ringing and I am dizzy. I finally gave in to the symptoms of my discomfort and went to see the doctor. What triggered the doctor’s visit was really just a few annoying symptoms. This makes it difficult to do several normal everyday things like walk and drive. I need to be able to move around and function normally.

The doctor was very helpful. He said I needed an antibiotic and prescribed something for the dizziness. I was all excited about feeling normal again until I looked at the message on the side of the bottle. It read, “May cause drowsiness.” So now I have a choice: I can drive dizzy or drowsy. No, that is not really a choice. While it may make me feel better it did not solve what I perceived to be the problem. I still need to be able to move around.

Why am I so impatient? The antibiotics will start working now and I will be over this in a few days. I just need to give the medicine time to work, its complete work, and no shortcuts. So I have to adjust my schedule for a few days. In time I will be well, and all will be well.

This got me thinking about how we often treat our spiritual health. We treat our spiritual health much like our physical health. We take it for granted as long as we pray before meals, come to church, and take our bibles with us. We pop a spiritual pill and think it is all good, until it all turns bad.

James said, “Consider it all joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.” James 1:2-4

Good Spiritual health takes time. We have to give God time to work in us so that when a time of trials come they will build us up instead of tear us down. When you are down you can be drowsy or dizzy, or let the medicine of God’s promise do His work. He promises great benefits for letting Him work in our lives.

Bro. Robin

Life Changing

2009-06-25T09:56:00.000-07:00

Until this week I did not know that it was possible to have my heart so broken and so filled with pride at the same time. I spent this past week at the Brooke Army Medical Center at Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas. I was there with my son who had been injured in Iraq the week before. I, along with his mother and his wife, sat with him, talked with him and prayed with him through the difficult decision of having his foot amputated, and the recovery from surgery that followed.

Along the way we saw and heard many stories both inspiring and depressing, but far more were inspiring. I was amazed at the flow of young men and women coming in daily from Iraq and Afghanistan. I noticed that they were no longer being referred to as “soldiers” but were now being called “warriors,” and “heroes.” These are the stories too small for the evening news but nevertheless life changing for the warriors and their families. I saw people with a new appreciation for life and motivation to celebrate things that most of us would have difficulty celebrating.

I met a young man who celebrated only losing some fingers instead of his whole hand. We met a mother and son who celebrated life even though he was covered from head to toe with gauze because of the burns he received when he was the lone survivor of an explosion. Joyce and his mother praised God as they quoted Jeremiah 29:11 together:

“For I know the plans I have for you…plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” (CSB)

The phrase, “life-changing experience,” holds new meaning for me today. I have used it many times for sharing the gospel, but have never had to apply it to my life in such a drastic way as now. Our lives can change in an instant, a flash, a phone call, a decision. Yes, Eric’s situation is life-changing, but isn’t that how it should be in our walk with the Lord. Each and every day with the Lord is to be celebrated. When we accept Him as Savior, we have only begun a journey that is filled with life-changing experiences. We have the option to go forward or “wallow” in things that come our way.

Our son has chosen to go forward, to embrace the future in such a way that He can still make a difference in this life. To us, he is truly a hero, a man that has sacrificed a lot for our freedom. These past two weeks have touched us in a deep way, and our lives will never be the same. We are thankful for the gift of life – we intend to celebrate each day in our walk with the Lord. How about you?

Bro. Robin

A Pond Project Parable

2009-06-10T11:32:00.000-07:00

This weekend I finally got started on a project I have wanted to do for a long time. I started on the waterfall in the backyard. It is more like a mini-waterfall, not very big, and the pond it will fall into will only hold fifty gallons of water. It will be just off the back porch, which is close enough to enjoy while I sit and read or talk to Joyce in the evening.

My daughter and son-in-law are staying with us for a few weeks so it seemed like a good time to do an outdoor project while he can help. On Saturday we dug the hole, covered the area with plastic, and set the plastic tub for the pond. A few days later we filled in the spaces with sand and started laying the rock around it. We carefully leveled the pond as we supported it with sand and put a few heavy rocks in the pond to keep it anchored. Then last night it rained, big.

This morning we looked outside and to our surprise the pond had floated, rocks and all. It looked like some kind of barge that was sunk at a crazy angle. The plastic lined hole had apparently filled with water at a faster rate than the pond and as it rose the sand around it filled in under it. There was nothing we could do but pull it out, bail it out, dry it out, and try again.

We laughed when we saw it. What else could we do? Life is filled with unexpected events. But, most of the unexpected happenings in life are not funny, just the opposite. We all live in fear of that phone call or bad decision that changes the course of our life.

Job was a man in the Bible whose life is associated with trouble. Actually the events of the book of Job were only a small part of a life that was otherwise nearly perfect. When trouble came on him it nearly destroyed him to the point that all he had left was his faith in God. At the beginning of his troubles he said, “For the thing I feared has overtaken me, and what I dreaded has happened to me.” (Job 3:25, CSV)

Job endured his troubles because of his relationship with God. Later in his story he said, “As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will take His stand on the earth.” (Job 19:25, NAS) God will rescue us. God has rescued us. Our Redeemer, Jesus Christ, lives. His presence is with us now and always.

As Jesus said to us, “And remember, I am with you always…” (Matthew 28:20 CSV)

Bro. Robin

Sharing Tomatoes

2009-05-26T10:53:00.000-07:00

I finally got a small garden planted. It is just a few tomato plants, some cucumber plants and some yellow squash. I do not plant very much and therefore do not expect a lot. I hope to go through a season of getting enough to share with our children and enjoy some fresh fruit of our labors. We enjoy sharing the vegetables with loved ones. We do not enjoy sharing with the squirrels.

I like squirrels. They are cute and fun to watch. I especially like them in season, well seasoned that is, with mashed potatoes and gravy, although I have not had them that way in a few years. Besides, these are town squirrels and I seem to be stuck with them. I just don’t like them eating my tomatoes.

I talked to one person who was trapping her squirrels and taking them out of town. I hope it works. I tried getting rid of the squirrels years ago, not here. My efforts did not seem to matter. Squirrels seem to sense a vacuum and rush to fill the space with more squirrels. I have thought about building a cage around the garden to protect it from the squirrels. It seems like a lot of effort for a few tomatoes.

Another person I talked to said that my problem was that I feed the birds and the bird feed keeps the squirrels around. That makes sense. When you do something good it will attract all kinds of responses. I put out the feed for the cardinals, finches, and an occasional bluebird. Of course, in addition to the “pretty” birds I also get the rest of the birds in the neighborhood. I just put out the feed. I don’t get to pick out the birds, or the squirrels, which eat at my feeder.

Should we not also be this way about the word of God? We cannot protect God’s Word or pick His people to suit ourselves. Jesus gave us the parable of The Sower, in which the seed of the word was thrown out in all directions, (Matthew 13). The result depended on where the seed landed. But He made it clear that the result is ultimately in God’s hands. The responsibility for sowing, and sowing everywhere, is ours. Even if the squirrels get some.
Bro. Robin

2009-05-12T13:29:00.000-07:00

Last night at the senior banquet I overheard a senior make a very wise observation. She was talking about graduating and heading for college and observed that she finally got to the top and now she will be starting at the bottom again. Now that she is a senior she will soon be a freshman again! Others at the table added that this will not be the last time but she will start over at the bottom many times in her life to come. They cited graduate school, jobs, marriage, and family among the experience in life that each requires us to start over at the bottom and work our way to the top. No matter how far we have come there is more.

Life is about new beginnings. Every stage and step of life we start something new. We are always learning and growing. It never stops. Even the end of this physical life is not the end. There is more.

As I read about eternity in the Bible I wonder how far do we really progress in this life? I know this is not the end but is this the middle, or just the beginning? I am convinced that on a scale of eternity our short span of life is just the beginning. We go from here to the presence of God, then Heaven. The scriptures tell us that in Heaven we go from under the altar to Jesus’ Banquet Hall, then the Millennium, followed by a season of rebellion, victory, and the New Jerusalem. The scriptures close with a mysterious reference to gate of the city that are never closed, indicating that even then there is more.

I am thankful today that we will never reach the end. We may not know what is coming. We do know who will get us there safely. By grace through faith in Jesus Christ there will always be more. He has also promised that it will always work together for good.

Bro. Robin

Hope

2009-04-24T07:47:00.000-07:00

I have been hearing a lot of talk lately about hope. We seem to talk about hope when we would all like to have more hope. Last night I participated in a town hall meeting with Dave Ramsey and at the end of the meeting he gave what I thought were three great observations on the subject of restoring hope. It also occurred to me that these same points that build up hope could also apply to trust, confidence, optimism, and a host of good character qualities. As I thought about these points I wanted to respond to them and apply them to my own situation.

First we need to take action. We need to be proactive instead of reactive. We need to look around us and see what needs to be done and them start doing something about it. This is what vision is all about. Blackaby says that God is always at work around us and we need to see what He is doing and join Him in His work. We all have to participate if this church is going to fulfill God’s mission. But, we cannot wait on someone else to start or tell us what to do. There are things we can do now.

Second we need to stop participating in loser talk. Ramsey suggested that we should fill our minds with good information, such as good books, and surround ourselves with better people. That will help us change our conversation. Our conversation is a reflection of who we are and can lead to a downward spiral in our attitude. We recently did a study on Godly Attitudes and looked at the attitudes of the Israelites in the desert. We discovered that complaining is a sin and they stayed in the wilderness because they could not stop complaining. Complaining is also a habit. We can stop complaining but only if we reinforce a decision to stop with also filling our minds with Godly information and surrounding ourselves with encouraging and hopeful people. Let’s be the first to change the subject of conversation to hope.

Third we need give. The practice of giving needs to be a lifestyle so that we do not think of it as one thing. We need to give our ears to listen. We need to give our mouth to encourage. We need to give our hands to help those who need help. We need to give our resources, time, and talents. As I heard last night, service is worship.

Paul said, “Now in this hope we were saved, yet hope that is seen is not hope, because who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with patience.” (Romans 8:24-25) Whatever may be going on around us God is still God, and He is still in control.

I love you, Church. Thank you for allowing me to be your pastor. Thank you for serving with me to fulfill God’s mission.
Bro. Robin

How do we know?

2009-04-13T06:05:00.000-07:00

How do we know that we are a Christian? We believe that we are saved by God’s power to save us, called grace, through our faith in Him to save us. There are no special works or magic words. You make a decision and God keeps His promise. You believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead and make Him the owner, Lord, of your life and He will save you. It sounds simple, yet I hear from people all the time who pray but doubt their salvation. How do we know for sure?

When someone comes to me with doubts I direct them to the book of 1 John. This short letter from the apostle John, only five chapters, tells us what we need to know to know that we know Jesus. The stated purpose of the book is, “So that you may know that you have eternal life.” (5:13)

The first mark of salvation is that we, “walk in the light,” (1:7). When we know His truth He gives us more insight into His nature, our new nature, and our neighbor’s needs. In fact, a person who is not a Christian does not have this insight.

Paul put it this way, “But the natural man does not welcome what comes from God’s Spirit because it is foolishness to him; he is not able to know it since it is evaluated spiritually.” (1 Cor. 2:14) This is not the only mark of salvation. There are others, but this is a good place to start.

What do you understand that you could not understand before? Understanding is the key to overcoming. With understanding comes the power to say no to those things that seemed to control you before, and say yes to the one you did not seem to be able to obey before.

Jesus does not just save your soul. He saves your understanding also. On the day of Pentecost Peter declared to the crowd, “Be saved from this corrupt generation!” (Acts 2:40). Salvation begins now with God giving you the power to do His will. That is the power of grace that assures us that we are one of His children. That is how we know. In the light of salvation, we see the change in our own life.
Bro. Robin

Distracted

2009-03-26T18:09:00.001-07:00

During my prayer time I am often amazed at how many things can so easily distract me. Sometimes the thoughts are good thoughts, like things I need to do today, but they are still a distraction from my prayer time. Prayer is so important that I have learned to focus and deal with the distractions quickly. But nothing seems to keep them from coming.

Many years ago a wise preacher by the name of Preacher Hallock, in the little book Meditation and Prayer, described four main hindrances to effective praying. He said these hindrances were: Wandering thoughts, impure thoughts, sleepiness, and doubts that prayer can do anything. As I have studied prayer over the years I have come to appreciate this list of distractions that certainly hinder prayer.

In Matthew 6 Jesus talked about prayer and gave another list of hindrances. His list also included distractions. Jesus said, “But when you pray, go into your private room, shut your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret.” (Matt. 6:6) Rather than list everything that distracts us, Jesus gave us a cure for them.

Where do you go when you pray? Where is your focus? What is getting the attention of your senses? Where are your thoughts? You cannot pray in a busy place. Jesus did not restrict that to physical, mental, or spiritual. He included them all. When we pray we need to be in a place that is free from distractions. We need a place where we can hear God speaking.

God is always speaking. Our ears are always listening. But distractions can keep us from hearing, and from understanding what we hear. If our thoughts are wandering we may hear only part of what is said and misunderstand what others say, including God.

Other religions wonder how to get God’s attention. Some ring bells, sing songs, or make some other kind of noise. Some in the Bible were known to cut themselves or do something strange to get God’s attention. Others pay attention to the wording of their prayers as if the formula of the words can turn God’s ear.

The Word of our God says, “God so loved…” (John 3:16). We have His attention. The challenge for us now is to give all our attention to God. There is the power of prayer.
Bro. Robin

Smalltalk

2009-03-12T06:32:00.000-07:00

This is that time of the year when we wish the weather would make up its mind. It occurred to me recently that if it were not for the weather, politics, and religion most of us would have nothing to talk about. We all like to talk about things that are important to us with people who agree with us. Smalltalk is the art of talking about nothing. Much is said, but nothing is changed.

Conversation can be our most important activity of the day. Even Smalltalk can tell us about more about each other and help grow our relationships. As you have heard me say many times before, there is no substitute for time spent in a relationship, even if that time is spent doing Smalltalk.

Conversation can also change things. Conversation can repair a broken relationship if the right things are said from an open and forgiving heart. If fact, it is impossible to repair a broken relationship without the right kind of communication. Conversation that has substance is also conversation that has heart, feelings, and honesty said with the right amount of sensitivity. It is the most difficult and potentially risky conversation you will have with another person. But it can also become the most valuable and treasured time you will ever spend with the great long term benefit of a restored relationship.

A restored relationship is a revived relationship. This is what Revival is all about. We sing the old song, “Have a little talk with Jesus,” but do we think about those words? The right conversation with another person can restore a friendship with lasting benefits. The right conversation with God can restore a relationship with eternal benefits.

When was the last time you sat down and had a heart to heart with a friend you have not seen in a while? When was the last time you had a similar heart to heart with God. The Bible says, “There is a friend who stays closer than a brother.” (Pr. 18:24)

Cut the small talk. Take the time today to have not just a little talk but a real conversation with Jesus. Revive the most important relationship in your life. You will be amazed at the difference His amazing grace can make in your life.
Bro. Robin

Our purpose is HIS Mission

2009-02-25T09:10:00.001-08:00

As I begin my seventh year as your pastor I have been thinking lately about our Church, our mission, and our vision for this New Year. Our recent business meeting pointed out that we are beginning a new chapter. We have known for some time that we need to make some changes. We are faced with some challenges that we can no longer put off until later. But my experience so far with the people of this church has shown me that we are up to the challenges we face. We are a Church made of people who sincerely desire to follow God’s leadership and I am excited to serve the Lord with people who share such a common purpose.

We point to our mission statement: “Our mission is to reach across the street and around the world with the good news of Jesus Christ.”

Our mission is only a reflection of the Great Commission:
“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20, HCSB)

Our purpose is HIS mission. Everything we do is to teach us and prepare us to go and to send others into the world to teach and preach Jesus. At the end of the day it is all about HIS mission.

We need to replace one of our buildings. We voted to tear down the old building and we need to raise some money to do it. We have never had a problem raising large sums of money to send groups of people on mission trips. We have gone in recent years to Africa, Chile, Bahamas, Alaska, Iowa, and Nebraska. Now we need to go to Gentry. We need a building to train people for the mission. But, we are not just building a building. We are building a kingdom, the kingdom of God, the cause of Christ, the Mission.

When I welcome new members to this church I pray with them. My prayer is always for God’s help as we work together serving Him in this Church. That is my prayer today.

Bro. Robin

Surviving the Wilderness

2009-02-13T08:00:00.000-08:00

The study of Exodus has raised some thoughts about how we all handle the wilderness we are in. The children of Israel certainly had their struggles. Their experiences are lessons from which we can all learn. Several key lessons can give us an “ABC” outline for surviving our wilderness experiences.

An Attitude of Gratitude is important for surviving the wilderness. Attitude changes our outlook and can determine if we are on top of our circumstances or if our circumstances are on top of us. The Israelites had much to be thankful for and reasons to look up. They had the pillar of cloud and fire and the promises of God in the distance. But when they looked at the desert around them they got discouraged and complained. Complaining led to division and rebellion which always brought discipline from God.

The Behavior of a Believer is also important for surviving the wilderness. We need to act like we believe in the promises to which we are going. The Israelites often gave up and behaved badly. Our faith should lead us to follow God and to enjoy both His fellowship and the fellowship of others who are also following Him in the way. We are on this road together. We have a happy destination to reach. Our behavior on the road should reflect the destination and the direction of the One we follow.

The Cup of Contentment important for surviving the wilderness. We supply the cup and God supplies the contentment. He gave the Israelites everything they needed for the journey including manna, water, and clothes that never wore out. But, if our cup is already full of complaints, expectations, or anything else we put in it, there will be no room for the contentment God is waiting to pour into our cup, no matter how much He pours out. If we empty our cup of all the things we put there and hold it up to God He will fill it. Then we will understand why He called us to this place. He calls us to the place where He is. He calls us to follow Him to the other side of the wilderness where we will find the Promised Land.
Let’s all go there together.
Bro. Robin

Getting Ready for the Storm

2009-01-29T20:10:00.001-08:00

When I left the house Monday morning I grabbed the list off the counter in the kitchen. It was not a very long list but the items were things Joyce and I had agreed were the most important that we might need if we could not get back to the store for a few days. Since ice was predicted, and we have been through an ice storm before, I also had to do a few things around the house when I got home. I had just put the generator away last week, so I got it back out again and put it on the porch, just in case. I checked the fuel, firewood and flashlights. I felt good about being ready for the storm.

Then it came. Tuesday morning, as we were getting around, the power went off. I went outside to crank up the generator. I ran a cord through a window and powered the fireplace blower and a lamp. I could read and stay warm. What more did I need?

“What is the weather supposed to do?” Joyce said. Then it occurred to me. I had every gadget known to mankind, except a battery powered radio. I was cut off from the outside world. No, wait; I still had my cell phone. I pulled up the weather channel and looked at the radar. We were good to go.

What does it take to be prepared for the storms of life? Do we really need all the extras we so often surround ourselves with? Or, do we already have the things we need the most?

During the icy days Joyce and I got to spend some time together. We found plenty to do right here. We had all we needed. We had a warm fire, a light, the love of the Lord in our hearts, and each other. What more did we need?

Bro. Robin

Resolutions for a New Year

2009-01-12T08:26:00.001-08:00

Most of us make New Year’s resolutions, whether we admit it or not. I will lose weight, (again). I will read the Bible through this year. I will spend more time with my family. Losing weight seems so obvious after the eating binge we just went on during the holidays. I could probably lose weight just by getting back to pre-holiday eating.

I am wondering, however, what is really new about them, besides the year? They seem to be mostly the same old resolutions every new year. You would think that if we were really serious about them that we would accomplish one once in a while and come up with something new.

I went to the internet and searched for New Years Resolution and confirmed my suspicions. Every list I found had a few of the same things on them. At the top of the lists were Relationships, such as spending more time with family and friends. I was glad to see that. You have heard me say often that there is no substitute for time in a relationship. Also on the lists were health resolutions, such as getting in shape, eating healthier and losing weight. In the top ten were habits that needed changing, such as quitting smoking, and drinking, (which obviously don’t apply to those of us who never started), and changes in our finances, such as getting out of debt. Some things on these lists were even more positive like enjoy life more, learn something new, help others, and get organized.

As a pastor, I would like to see resolutions made that focus on the really important things in life that are specific and doable. Here are a few of my suggestions.

1. Renew your wedding vows. Resolve to be a better husband/wife, and if you are not married, resolve to be a better friend to someone close to you.
2. Find a special place in your house that is your place of prayer and go there at a set time everyday. Pray with someone and by yourself.
3. Read the bible through this year. (Good for every year!)
4. Go on a mission trip and see something that only God can do.
5. Make a new friend, and invite him/her to church.
6. Call a relative you have not heard from in a while.
7. Volunteer. Go ahead, make someone’s day.
8. Exchange a bad habit for a good one. (you pick one of each)
9. Learn a new healthy recipe you can cook yourself.
10. Do something fun that makes you laugh.

Happy New Year. Let me know what your resolutions are for this year.
Bro. Robin

Looking Back, Looking Forward, Starting Fresh

2008-12-29T13:49:00.000-08:00

As we arrive at a new year, 2009, it is always interesting to see how different people approach a new year. I have noticed that the news is filled with “year in review” video articles. We look back at the good news, bad news, regretful news, and even some funny news. It is all very entertaining.

Some of us feel a need to examine the past before we are ready to take on the future. We cannot change the mistakes of the past. But, we can learn from the past. We cannot live on the victories of the past. But, we can use the past as a guide for new goals for a better future.

God gave His people an interesting way to begin a new year. On the Jewish calendar the New Year begins in the fall, (Rosh Hashanah), and is followed ten days later by the Day of Atonement, (Yom Kippur). These ten days are called the Days of Repentance. These were days when they remember sins and ask forgiveness of anyone they have wronged the previous year. Then on the last day, the Day of Atonement, all is forgiven. In the days of the Temple the High priest would enter the Holy of Holies, the only time he would enter during the year, and sprinkle blood on the mercy seat for forgiveness of all sins, remembered and forgotten. Everyone began the New Year with a clean slate with God, and with each other.

What an awesome thought? We can start the New Year fresh with a whole new perspective, a new plan, and with nothing from the past holding us back. The world may have other ideas. God encourages new starts and gives us a way to make it happen.

Paul put it this way: “…forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:14

Happy New Year
Bro. Robin Cowin

“For God so loved the world…”

2008-12-10T13:03:00.001-08:00

Christmas is expensive. But, do we ever stop to think how expensive? We think about our own expenses. Gifts for everyone, trips to the store, company coming who need to be fed and accommodated, decorations, Christmas parties, and so on, and it all costs money. We are all too familiar with the cost of Christmas to ourselves.

Christmas is more expensive than we can imagine. Christmas is not just about our gifts. Christmas is about one gift, the one gift that began it all. Christmas is a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son. Christmas is the promise of salvation in a baby that was born to die for our sins. Christmas demonstrates how valuable God considers us. We are worth the life of God’s Son.

When you give gifts do you base your gift on how important that person is to you? Do the people who are more important to you get better presents? Do we measure value by expense? If so, then God has us all beat when it comes to giving. When God considered what to give us all as a gift from Himself He brought out the most valuable gift God Himself could offer. We think of it as the gift of eternal life, and so it is. God thinks of it as the gift of His Son.

Christmas truly is a time of giving and receiving gifts. Have you received the gift God has for you, the gift of Christmas itself, the gift of Jesus?

Merry Christmas

Robin and Joyce Cowin
And the Cowin Family

Thanksgiving

2008-11-24T08:15:00.000-08:00

“Give thanks in everything, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:3 (HCSB, Holman Bible Publishers, 2003)

Thanksgiving comes around at the same time every year and makes no allowance for our particular circumstances. We read in the scriptures that it is God’s will for us to give thanks. But many of us are looking at this time of year with a greater or lesser degree of anxiety. It is just not a good time to be thankful.

I do not know what is going on in every life, but as a pastor, I have been listening to what seems to me to be an unusual surge of bad tidings, instead of glad tidings. It is not just the economy. There seems to be an epidemic of misfortune happening in the lives of people around me. I am seeing this also in the ministries of other pastors and staff I know.

The scripture does not say to be thankful for everything. Many things that happen are not good. The Scripture says to be thankful in everything, that is, in the middle of every circumstance, it is God’s desire for us to be thankful. I heard a preacher call this the, “attitude of gratitude.”

The attitude of gratitude may require an attitude adjustment for many of us. Or, it may just require an adjustment in our sight. I do not mean that we should always be able to see the good in bad situations. Rather, I think if we can see around our situation there are good things happening around us.

On this bus we call life we are one of many passengers. Someone around us is having a better day than we are. If we could see them better we could celebrate with them. Someone around us is having a worse day than we are. If we could see them better it would make us both feel better to be an encourager. Look around. There are reasons to be thankful around each of us.

In everything, let us be thankful.

Bro. Robin

A carrot, an egg, and a cup of coffee

2008-11-19T06:55:00.000-08:00

(I do not usually forward emails and if I do I always try to verify the author. But, this one is too good to keep and try as I might I have not been able to discover the author. If you know who wrote it please let me know-RC)

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up, She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying a word.

In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, ' Tell me what you see.'

'Carrots, eggs, and coffee,' she replied.

Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg.

Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, 'What does it mean, mother?'

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.

'Which are you?' she asked her daughter. 'When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?

Am I the egg that starts with a malleable (supple) heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?

Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way. The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past; you can't go forward in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches.

May we all be COFFEE!!!!!!!

Praying for the President-elect

2008-11-10T12:42:00.000-08:00

My prayer for President-elect Barack Obama is that he will become more like the Jesus I know. Obama professes to be a Christian. We may not agree with his politics, his church, or his pastor, but if he claims the name of Christ as his own we can agree with his choice of a Savior. I believe that Jesus can take care of His own. His own know His voice and follows Him.

I do not have to agree with him in order to pray for him. In fact, it is because of those disagreements that I should pray for him that much more. I will never have the President’s ear to tell him how strongly I believe abortion and homosexuality are wrong. He will never hear me try to persuade him that policies on stem cell research should be strongly regulated so as to not benefit the abortion industry. He will not ask me to advise him on marriage and family and the destructive influence of a society that has no rules or morals. I will have no choice in the judges he appoints. I will never have the President’s ear but I will always have the ear of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. I can pray that his decisions will be affected by the Christ he professes.

The President has a unique opportunity to make things better for all of us. He can protect religious freedom, human rights, and the dignity of all. He can take care of the poor. He can appoint judges who are just and judge according to the law. He can ignore the special interests of a few and do what is right in God’s eyes, instead of the world’s view.

We elect our leaders by a democratic process. However, morality is not up for a vote. Some principles are too important to ignore regardless of popularity or the desire of many to change the rules for all. He was elected by the people but he does not have to consult public opinion for his decisions. We must pray that he will consult God. Pray that he will be led by God’s Word. Pray that he will be surrounded by God’s protection. Pray that he will spend time in God’s presence before every decision.

I want a President who does not just say that he is a Christian. I want a President who follows Christ. That is out of my hands. Every person is responsible for his own relationship with Christ. But it is not out of God’s hands. That is why I pray. And, I urge you also to pray for President elect Obama, President Bush, their families, and the people who surround them. Pray, and keep the faith.

Bro. Robin

Halloween

2008-10-31T19:21:00.001-07:00

When I am asked what I think about Christians observing Halloween, (the Devil’s day), I have a simple answer. The Devil does not get a day.

Nearly every culture has an observance to mark the beginning of winter that is associated with death. Many of these observances also have some hint of the resurrection to come in the spring.

As Christianity spread, Christians have historically related these observances to the more hopeful promises of scripture. Thus began Halloween. Christians set up November 1 as a day of celebration called “All Saints Day,” to remember the contribution of great Christians of the past and our belief that they still live in heaven with Christ. The day before All Saints Day came to be known as All Hallows Eve, which was shortened in time to Halloween.

Over a period of time, Halloween has attracted practices that are reminders of the pagan observances it was supposed to replace. The dramatic affect of all of this has made Halloween of such importance that it now completely overshadows All Saints Day. We have all but forgotten what was intended to be a very important Christian holiday, (Holy-day).

Many Christians today point to the history of Halloween that is associated with paganism and say that Christians should have nothing to do with this day. Some will even go so far as to point to those cultures that use Halloween to focus on death, Satan, and witchcraft, and say that it is the Devil’s day. But, I have some questions for those people. Why does the Devil get a day? Is not every day the Lord’s?

When I was a kid growing up we did our trick or treating all in good fun. We dressed up as hobos, pirates, and firemen, and raided the neighbors for candy. There are many who dress up in costumes associated with the Devil and witchcraft and such. Some may even have a point about how the world views Halloween and we should never associate our observance with anything that actually promotes the enemy. However, having said that, I do not believe the Devil enjoys good clean fun. It does not support the enemy to hand out candy, especially when we include tracts and invitations to our church.

This is the day that the Lord has made, (even October 31). I will rejoice and be glad in it. So, Happy All Saints Day, and the day before it.

Bro. Robin

Homecoming

2008-10-10T20:08:00.000-07:00

It is interesting how a word can bring to mind such different images when it is used in different contexts. As I write this the town is getting ready for a parade, a team is getting ready for a football game, and our High School is getting ready to crown a Queen, all in honor of our High School football Homecoming. It is an exciting time for the town, students and alumni of the High School.

We have just completed a study on Wednesday nights of the book of Revelation. As I think about Homecoming my thoughts are drawn to a very different set of images. Revelation tells us of a Homecoming that we will all someday experience. There are some similarities. Instead of a Queen there will be a Bride. There will be a King and we will all be watching for the coming of the King, (of Kings). Instead of a parade there will be a great banquet. Instead of a game there will be a war, complete with a winning side and a losing side. The winners get invited to the wedding feast while the losers get thrown into a lake of fire.

Fortunately, the football game will not end like this, no matter what kind of thoughts we might have during the game.

When the players come to a football game they do not get to choose which side they are on when they get to the field. They make their choice long before the homecoming game. They have to choose before the first practice. They have to be a part of the team before they are allowed to play in the game.

Football Homecomings come and go. We look forward to them as much as we enjoy remembering them. It is fun but the pleasures, and the consequences, are only temporary. This is not true about the Homecoming in Heaven. Heaven’s Homecoming is eternal. We already know which side is going to win. But, we have to choose now which side we will represent.

Will I see you at the Banquet?

Bro. Robin

How do we make choices?

2008-09-09T12:07:00.000-07:00

The coming election has me thinking about how we make choices. Actually, the question is more complicated than is seems. All choices are not equal. The consequences of those choices are also not equal. Therefore, the ways we go about making those choices are not equal. In fact, we can get into trouble when we make more important choices the same way we make less important choices.

We elect our leaders by popular vote. Hopefully, we all examine the candidates and vote for the person we think will do the best job. However, we do not all have the same criteria for leadership, the same convictions about the issues, or even the same information about the candidates themselves. There is always the possibility that your vote will be negated by some knucklehead who forgot his glasses and checks the boxes at random. That is why you need to vote. That is also why you need to pray. You can only vote once but you can pray early and often.

Popular vote may be how we elect leaders but it is not a good way to make personal decisions. I mentioned some factors for voting being criteria, convictions, and candidates. Some people seem to choose their criteria based on popular opinion. Some issues are not up for popular vote. God’s Word has not changed, and if you base your opinions on God’s word you should be careful about listening to polls. Many polls are taken not to inform your vote but to influence your vote in a particular direction. God also wants to influence you in a particular direction. He can be trusted.

Your morals are not up for a vote. It may make you feel better for a time if what you are doing is supported by everyone around you. God’s Word is not only the only rule for our lives but God is also the final judge. We can count the votes and please everyone around us, and miss the point of life entirely. The only vote that counts eternally is the one God cast for you, not at a poll, but on a Cross.

There is a teaching in Christianity called the doctrine of Election. The most important election of all comes down to this, “We love Him because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19)

Bro. Robin

Cleaning Out to be More Useful

2008-08-26T12:00:00.000-07:00

I finally got the car in the garage after four years. There has always been room for it. But, up until now, we have needed the space for storage. First we needed it for the lawn mowers and tools. Then it was one child’s furniture or another’s. Most recently we used the space for the materials for the fence until it was finished.

Last week we looked at the garage and decided to get organized. We divided the stuff into “keep,” “give away,” and “throw away” piles. Then we bought some new shelving that would go along the wall. We were both amazed to see that once the piles were dispersed, and the “keep” pile was shelved, we could pull the car in the garage with room to spare. The biggest surprise was how much we kept. Our problem was not space, it was organization.

I find that time works like my garage. Sometimes I just have to take an inventory and divide my activities into “piles.” Then I have to organize the “keep” pile. But when I get done it is amazing how much better everything looks. I may even have time for something I want to do, and not just the things I need to do.

In Psalm 45:1, the psalmist declares, “My tongue in the pen of a ready writer.” In those days writing was a complicated activity that made Scribes and educated profession. To say that a writer was ready meant that he was seated before a table with his scroll unrolled to the right place and all his writing tools and inks were laid out and organized for his immediate use. This is how we are to be before God. We should be organized and ready to be useful for Him.

As the psalmist said, “My heart is overflowing with a good theme; I recite my composition concerning the King.” It is another way for us to say, “I am ready to be useful, Lord.”

Bro. Robin

Pray for Rain

2008-08-13T12:37:00.000-07:00

I am still trying to figure out if a 40% chance of rain means that the odds are 40% that it might rain, or does it mean that it will definitely rain 40% of the day. The day of the ballgame we had a 40% chance of rain and the game ended up getting rained out in the fifth inning. On the other hand, yesterday there was a 60% chance of rain and I do not recall seeing much, if any, rain at all. Joyce and I were talking about it and decided we would like to know the weather forecasters percentage of accuracy.

In the Old Testament they did not have weather forecasters with fancy equipment and statistical analysis. They had Prophets. When Elijah said it would not rain, it did not rain. When He said it was going to rain you better run for cover. It did not matter that there was only one little cloud in the sky. God is not hindered by relative humidity. (1 Kings 18:44)

Prayer made all the difference. James sites Elijah’s example when he says, “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much, (James 5:16). The difference is Prayer and the fact that the prophets tied everything they did to the spiritual condition they were trying to change. Elijah was not interested in just getting things wet. He wanted to see the country change directions. He wanted to see an outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

Do you want to see a change in your life? Pray for rain. I am not talking about the wet stuff. I am talking about the Spiritual stuff. God told Solomon, “If my people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seed my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14 nkjv)

Put your trust in God’s Word. He has the highest percentage of accuracy. He predicts 100% chance of good weather – in Heaven!!

Dr. Robin

Funny Things Heard on the Chile Mission Trip

2008-07-25T08:06:00.000-07:00

Now that we are back from Chile I thought you might enjoy The List’s Top Ten from Chile:

1. “I thought these places were all closed, but they just weren’t open.”
2. “This road would be a booger in the winter time” (in Chile, it was winter)
3. “Someone with a good camera could get a good picture from here”
4. “Sometimes it seems like we’re the mature ones of the bunch” (said by a youth)
5. “Jose Christo” referring to Jesus in a testimony.
6. “Escupe me” (trying to say excuse me in Spanish but saying “spit on me” instead)
7. “That’s one even Tarzan would not understand” (our missionary)
8. “I made us rush on accident, but it wasn’t on purpose” (also our missionary)
9. “I am amazed that there are so many Americans on this flight” (as we boarded for the US)
10. “Take all the time you want, just do it quickly.” (TSA agent at DFW)

Honorable mention goes to Cathy Rozas, one of our translators. When talking about Christmas being in summer in Chile I asked if Santa wore a bathing suit. She said, “No, he looks just like you.” I then replied, "Ho, Ho, Ho, thank you very much."

Dr. Robin

Thats Easy for You to Say

2008-07-25T08:05:00.000-07:00

As a person whose career is using words I have heard people say a lot of funny things without thinking, sometimes from my own mouth. I began to notice several years ago that they seem to happen often on mission trips. Perhaps it is the combination of stress, fatigue, and wonder that is experienced on these trips. There is a level of comfort attached to spending so much time with the same small group that it is easy to speak without thinking. Or maybe I just attract funny people. I began writing them down a few years ago and now it has become a running joke to make “The List.”

I have made my own list on a number of occasions. Things that make the list always make us laugh and laughter is good. Most often they are sayings that just do not make sense, the kind that make you say, “Huh, what did you say?” Like the time I could not find my luggage and walked up to an airport help desk and heard myself saying, “All I want to know is where do I need to go to be where I need to be?” (Don’t we all want the answer to that question?) Sometimes they are language mistakes that turn out funny. I once tried to order fish in Malawi, to the amusement of several church leaders, who told me afterward that my pronunciation was only slightly off. Because of one little vowel they heard me order marijuana instead of the national delicacy, in a fancy restaurant.

At least my mistake was repeatable. We won’t discuss the private list.

I think God has a good sense of humor. Psalm 2:4 says, “He who sits in the heavens laughs.” (nasb) Proverbs 17:22 says, “A joyful heart is good medicine.” I read the newspaper and wonder if we have lost our collective sense of humor? Then I read the Bible, Psalm 16:11, “In your presence is fullness of joy.” And, John 15:11, which says, “These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.” Being a Christian is more fun when it is funny.

We count up the statistics from a summer of mission trips and evaluate with much satisfaction our successes. We remember the souls saved, ministries started, new friends made, lives touched and changed. With tired bodies and a few tears let us also remember that there is rejoicing in heaven, (Luke 15:7). At the end of the day we can say, smiling, it was fun. After all, we are not saved by our works, but by God’s amazing Grace. That should make us happy.

Dr. Robin

Preparing to Preach (or Teach)

2008-07-22T10:54:00.000-07:00

I have been asked to teach a group of lay preachers how to prepare a sermon. I thought this would be useful for anyone who teaches.

When I was a fresh young preacher I thought the only verse of scripture that applied to preaching was Mark 13:11, “Do not worry beforehand about what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but it is the Holy Spirit.” I struggled with that for a while until I realized that while the Holy Spirit was a dependable speaker, I was not a dependable listener. I then took Paul’s advice to Timothy, another young preacher, as though it were to me, in 2 Timothy 2:15. He said that I should study to show myself approved unto God.

The first step is prayer. And every step thereafter must be bathed in prayer. Without prayer you cannot hear God. And without a word from God you have nothing to say. Prayer is the key to discovering what to say, how to say it, and the power that makes what you say understandable to the listeners. Prayer takes you to the text, through the text, and empowers the Word of God.

The second step is preparation. It begins with daily reading the Bible. Familiarity with God’s Word allows God to speak to you with a fuller voice. Study the passages that stand out to you. When a passage catches your attention it may be God trying to get your attention. Memorize scriptures that speak to you the most. Meditate on passages to get the meaning from your head to your heart.

Third, Pick a passage to preach on. Every sermon should have at least one point. Outline and organize the points to point to one point, the conclusion.

Finally, Preach out of the fullness of prayer and the word that is in your own heart. A passion about your own relationship with God will be contagious.

Anyone can listen to God and what we hear must be shared.

Bro. Robin

Praying for Mission Teams

2008-07-22T10:48:00.000-07:00

Thank you, Church Family, for sending mission teams across the street and around the world. You are sending us to La Serena, Chile, South America, while others go to Alaska, Nebraska, and the far ends of the earth. You go with us in heart as you also hold the ropes for us in prayer.

Pray for us each night before you go to bed and again each morning when you get up. Keep in mind that circumstances often change schedules. Read the scriptures with us, also. We will be reading these same verses and praying with you.

Thank you for praying. Pray for our safety, harmony, and Spiritual preparation. Pray that we will have enough energy for each task, get enough rest, and that we will all stay healthy on the food that is set before us. Pray for the anointing of the Spirit on God’s Word, us His messengers, and that those who hear us will hear gladly and receive Jesus into their hearts. Pray for our families at home, and for our church family, that those who sent us will also receive a blessing and that all of us will have a heart for the Great Commission that reaches across the street and around world with the Gospel.

We need special prayer for our families at home. I cannot stress that enough. We will be out of touch with them much of the time and it is difficult to minister when you are worried about things back home. Pray as much for them as you do for us. Pray that no emergencies arise on either front. Everything you pray for us pray also for our families.

King David once left some tired troops to watch the supplies while the rest fought and won a battle. When he returned to them from the battle he said, “…as his part is who goes down to the battle, so shall his part be who stays by the supplies; they shall share alike,” 1 Samuel 30:24. Those who pray share the reward with those who preach. Those who send also share with those who go. Thank you for praying and sending.

Five Basic Practices of the Christian Life

2008-07-22T08:28:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking a lot about the way Christians should behave. Our behavior is affected by our Christ-like practices. I have been trying to state these practices in non religious language. This is what I have come up with so far: Talk to God, Listen to God, Do Good things for others, Go to Church, and Invite others. Let me explain.

Talk to God. Prayer is the beginning and substance of our relationship with God. You cannot have a relationship without communication. Being a Christian means having a relationship with God through Jesus. There is no substitute for time spent in a relationship which means being together and communicating with each other.

Listen to God. The Bible is the primary way God speaks to us. He also speaks to us in many other ways but the Bible is still the measure that we use to determine if what we are hearing is from God. That makes knowing what is in the Bible so important. (If fact, to know more about these basic practices read Matthew 5, 6, & 7).

Do good things for others. Yes, doing good deeds is important. Jesus did them and we should do them. The important thing to remember is that as Christians we do not do good deeds to get into heaven. Rather, we do good things to get closer to Jesus. Righteousness is the word the Bible uses to describe God’s nature to do good that He puts in us at salvation. Jesus wants us to take on His nature to practice Mercy, which simply means to do good even when people don’t deserve it.

Go to Church. Fellowship with other Christians is a source of strength along with many other benefits. Worship is a result of communicating with God and is even better in a group at Church. We are a community of faith.

Invite others. Both missions and evangelism are summed up in the invitation of Jesus to, “Follow me.”(Matt. 4:19) If our good news of the Gospel is really that good should we not want everyone to know Him? We can all invest in the lives of people and invite them to Church, and to Jesus.

That’s it. I know it sounds too simple. If you do these things you will be amazed at how your walk with God will take off.

Bro. Robin

Teachers

2008-07-22T08:25:00.000-07:00

One of the rewards of a long ministry is to see people grow spiritually. I have had opportunities over the years to mentor several young people who have gone on to serve the Lord in ways great and small. Some of them were youth that I taught and gave opportunities to practice ministry. Some were brought on as staff. Some were in classes I taught through the association. We touched each other’s lives in positive ways.

I had my teachers too. I look back on them and realize how they molded my ministry today. I cannot list them all, but in light of the recent Revival I was thinking about a few of them in particular.

I and another Baptist student had it in our hearts to start a coffee house ministry to reach fellow college students. Herb, on staff with Teen Challenge, spent several weeks taking us through CS Lovett’s book, Soul-Winning Made Easy. We memorized a handful of scriptures and a plan. Soon we were blanketing the campus and surrounding area with the gospel. I already knew God had called me to preach. I had been in Sunday School all my life. But this was different. Herb taught me to preach on street corners. Dr. Messer, the Baptist Student Union director, was another teacher who gave me the opportunity to preach in Churches.

I have continued to learn about soul-winning, preaching, and much more. I find teachers in friends, associates, books, conferences, and unexpected divine encounters. I could go on about other teachers such as Ralph, Jerry, Jack, Mike, Dan, etc. We should never stop listening to others.

The word disciple simply means student, or one who follows the teachings of another. Jesus had twelve disciples. In that day, if you wanted to learn more than basic education you would go to someone who knew what you wanted to know and attach yourself to him as a disciple. It was a relationship in which the student and the teacher both had to choose each other.

There are times in our life we need to be the student and times when we need to be the teacher. Both experiences are important. You cannot be a teacher unless you have first been a student. You cannot be a great teacher unless you continue to be a great student.

When Jesus sent out His Disciples He did not tell them to go start a Teachers College. He told them to go make disciples. (Matthew 28:18-20)

What have you learned today? Who have you influenced?

Bro. Robin

Pulling Together

2008-04-14T09:39:00.001-07:00

This month we saw a tremendous Revival. The touch of God’s Spirit was seen in many areas of our Church. The messages from Ken Freeman were anointed by God. People came and were moved by God. Our Church pitched in and helped in every way that was needed from setting up to follow-up.

As I thought about what makes a Revival great one thing that kept coming to mind was how great the attendance was. Not only did our people support the Revival, we also had groups from at least four other churches, and each of them also reported many decision. Attendance is a major factor in the freedom of God Spirit at work among us. It matters if we come to church, not only for us, but for everyone who is there with us. A big group that is focusing on God experiences God in a big way.

This reminds me of a story.

He was a math teacher in my High School and I took geometry from him my sophomore year. He drove a brand new Volkswagen Beetle. He was so proud of it that he did not want to take any chances with it in the parking lot. That was the reason he parked everyday between two trees overlooking the football field. He thought it was safe there from bumps, dings, and scratches. That was true until a bunch of football players figured out that the length of his Beetle was exactly the distance between the trees. A group of them surrounded his car, picked it up, and turned it with each bumper touching a tree.

When the prank was discovered he was initially upset but then had to admire their accomplishment. He also had to offer pardons in exchange for their help. The only way he could get his car out was to get the same group of young men to lift up his car and set it right.

It was a lesson in what can be done when everyone shows up for a common purpose. Jesus said in Matthew 18:20, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name I am there in the midst of them.” Jesus fed thousands with one lunch in the presence of great crowds. He also was kept from doing miracles in His home town because of their unbelief, (Matt. 13:58)

You have heard me say often that there is no substitute for time spent in a relationship with God or with others. In Revival, there is no substitute for time with God and others. When we stay away we rob others, and ourselves, of a blessing from God. God is here. He is just waiting for us to get here to get the meeting started.

Bro. Robin

Can you hear me?

2008-03-25T12:47:00.000-07:00

I grew up in a house that sat on an acre of land at the edge of a forest. I knew how far away I could go and still hear Mom call. If it was close to supper I stayed in the yard. If I did not want to hear her call then anywhere in the woods would give me the freedom to play as I wanted. Of course, I might get in trouble when I came home. And, if I needed help, she could not hear me either. Temptation comes when we get out of earshot.

We are all tempted and the Bible tells us we all sin, (Romans 3:23). If we search the scriptures we can discover the character and content of sin and how to find forgiveness through Jesus Christ. We can also find teaching in the Bible that will help us avoid temptation in the first place.

First and foremost is the need to stay in God’s Word, the Bible. In Genesis 3 we see that when sin entered the world the serpent lied to Eve, and Adam, to get sin started. His first lie begins with, “Has God said…?” When we doubt God’s Word we open the door to temptation. We tend to doubt the word of someone we do not know well. The closeness of our relationship with God and our faith in His Word go hand in hand.

When Jesus was being tempted by the devil He was tempted first to turn stones into bread. He answered that temptation by remembering that man does not live by bread only but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. “Every Word,” keeps rolling around in my mind. All of the Bible is important as food for our spirit. It is the food we need not only to grow spiritually but our very survival depends on the spiritual nourishment of daily taking in His Word.

David said, “Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against God,” (Psalm 119). Read, study, memorize, and meditate on God’s Word. Make a commitment now to read through the Bible in 2008. Stay in earshot of God. The life you safe might be your own.
Bro. Robin

The Power of Touch

2008-03-25T12:43:00.000-07:00

Remember the telephone commercials that invited you to, “Reach out and touch someone?” I enjoy my phone but it is never the same to talk on the phone as it is to sit down with someone in person and have a conversation. This week we saw some of our kids in person and some we saw on webcam. We went to the zoo with the ones who came to visit in person. The webcam is a wonderful invention but it cannot replace a day at the zoo with your family.

We read of the many times Jesus touched someone and healed them. He was personal. He did not send letter or call on the phone. Even when He healed at a distance He was personal with the person who came to Him and requested the healing. Even when a woman touched Him for healing His power was there available for her as He responded to her touch.

One of my favorite stories of Jesus was the story of the blind man who needed to be touched twice. (Mark 8:22-25) With the first touch Jesus restored his sight but not his focus. With the second touch he saw all things clearly. I think this miracle is a parable about the way God touches many of us. We see Jesus, we have been touched by Him and know we have eternally life, but we have no focus. We see men as trees walking. The people around us might as well be trees because to us they are just objects in our world. We need to see people. We need to see them clearly. We need to see the world as Jesus sees them, a world of people for whom Christ died. We need to reach out and touch someone with the touch of Jesus.

Wouldn’t it be great if you could phone in all your responsibilities? You could take care of your spouse and children with a phone call. Some people work over the phone, or internet, so, why not? If you need glasses can you get your eyes checked over the phone? You can make the appointment over the phone. But if you want to see clearly you will have to see the doctor in person.

Some things have to be done in person. Jesus did not command us to sit down and write a letter. He commanded us to, “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to everyone.” (Mark 16:15)

A Revival is an opportunity for us to get a second touch from Jesus. We have Sight. But we still need Focus. You can only get that in person. I will see you there.

Bro. Robin

Check Your Messages

2008-03-10T14:56:00.001-07:00

What did we do before cell phones? It is hard to remember. I remember when I got my first one. I was taking my oldest daughter out to lunch, from school, and got a call about a person who had just gone to the hospital. My daughter was concerned that we would never again be able to have our special time with just her and me and no interruptions. I tried to do this with each of the kids at least once a month. The phone was a threat to that special time. Her immediate reaction was, “I hate that thing already.”

Fast forward a few years and the same daughter has children, a great life, and her own cell phone. I check my messages on my cell phone in the morning. This morning there were two, both of them from this daughter. The first was an excited call about the youngest grandson and the emergency room. In her message she says she has tried my phone and mom’s phone and “I can’t find you.” The second message was that he was ok. We also got an email, complete with pictures.

How have we come to depend on something so unreliable? I check my land line messages and my email more often than my cell phone yet pride myself on being “accessible.” Or, perhaps it is more about me and my habits than it is the phone system. But isn’t that the way it is with our spiritual communication as well?

There is nothing wrong with the system of prayer. The message never fails to go through. There is always someone on the other end who can do something about your request. Prayer only fails when we fail to pray. They used to say the same thing about letters. You have to send some to get them. If you send messages to God, He will send messages back to you.

Effective prayer is a habit. Just like checking your messages. The difference is that the benefits, of prayer are eternal. When was the last time you messaged God? When was the last time you checked your messages from God. His messages come in many forms, just like ours. Wouldn’t now be a good time to check your messages from God?

Dr. Robin

Bible Thoughts

2008-03-05T10:14:00.000-08:00

Bible Drill

It was a pleasure to watch out Bible Drill Team in action on Sunday night. I think some adults were a little intimidated by the Bible knowledge of these bright young students. They have gotten excited and worked hard to learn their way around the Bible. Their enthusiasm is contagious and I am hoping it will spread through the Church.

The Bible is our source of life and hope, the very Word of God. The great heroes of faith took comfort in not only hearing the words of God but also in reading and reflecting on the written Word of God. The Ten Commandments were first written by the finger of God. Moses gave them God’s blessing if they would not only keep those commandments in their hearts but also talk about them, and write them down, and hang them up on themselves and their houses, (Deuteronomy 6:4-9). Joshua began his campaign to take the Promised Land with a promise to meditate daily on the Bible, (Joshua 1:8). The longest chapter in the Bible is about meditating on God’s Word, (Psalm 119). In the New Testament, Peter called on the Church to read Paul’s writings comparing them to the other scriptures, (2 Peter 3:15-16). Paul’s great comfort in the end was a cloak, his books, and parchments, his collection of Bibles and letters.

Jesus quoted from Scripture so often that even great scholars called him Rabbi. He was recognized as a teacher of the Word by his contemporaries, even many who were his enemies. Paul told Timothy, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

Stay in the Word. God will guide you.

Bro. Robin

A Warm Fire

Cold weather means a fire in the wood stove. When I was growing up we had a fireplace in the house but I do not remember it producing a lot of heat, unless you were standing right in front of it. Our main source of heat was a gas furnace. My parents were very frugal and did not think we needed heat while we slept. So, every night they would turn down the furnace and pile on the blankets.

As we raised our own children our thinking was different. We tried to find a temperature that was suitable for us all the time. We like being comfortable, not too hot, not too cold. In the evening when we all settled in for after supper relaxing we added throws, and for the last twenty years, a wood stove or wood burning fireplace. Heat is comforting.

After the cross the disciples went fishing, not knowing at the time what else to do. They fished all night and caught nothing. As they were coming back to shore they saw Jesus who called to them and asked about the fishing. Then he suggested that they try again, on the other side of the boat. When they listened to Jesus they caught an over flowing net full. Then, at the highlight of the story for me, Jesus invited them to bring some fish to a fire he already had going.

He started the fire when there were no fish, when they had been out all night and were tired, and cold, and discouraged. He called them to the fish. Then, he called them to the fire. He still does that today. He calls to us when we are cold, tired, and discouraged. He knows what we need. He invites us to His fire, the comfort of His life, and warmth of His love.

Bro. Robin

Can you hear me?

I grew up in a house that sat on an acre of land at the edge of a forest. I knew how far away I could go and still hear Mom call. If it was close to supper I stayed in the yard. If I did not want to hear her call then anywhere in the woods would give me the freedom to play as I wanted. Of course, I might get in trouble when I came home. And, if I needed help, she could not hear me either. Temptation comes when we get out of earshot.

We are all tempted and the Bible tells us we all sin, (Romans 3:23). If we search the scriptures we can discover the character and content of sin and how to find forgiveness through Jesus Christ. We can also find teaching in the Bible that will help us avoid temptation in the first place.

First and foremost is the need to stay in God’s Word, the Bible. In Genesis 3 we see that when sin entered the world the serpent lied to Eve, and Adam, to get sin started. His first lie begins with, “Has God said…?” When we doubt God’s Word we open the door to temptation. We tend to doubt the word of someone we do not know well. The closeness of our relationship with God and our faith in His Word go hand in hand.

When Jesus was being tempted by the devil He was tempted first to turn stones into bread. He answered that temptation by remembering that man does not live by bread only but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. “Every Word,” keeps rolling around in my mind. All of the Bible is important as food for our spirit. It is the food we need not only to grow spiritually but our very survival depends on the spiritual nourishment of daily taking in His Word.

David said, “Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against God,” (Psalm 119). Read, study, memorize, and meditate on God’s Word. Make a commitment now to read through the Bible in 2008. Stay in earshot of God. The life you safe might be your own.

Bro. Robin

Wholly, holy, holey

2007-07-30T12:31:00.000-07:00

This weekend I finally got started on a project that began just after Christmas. I was putting away Christmas ornaments when I saw a piece of Formica in the attic that did not belong where it was. This chain of events led to me forgetting where I was standing and I suddenly found my self stepping off the attic floor into a space between rafters that was covered by insulation. I heard a popping sound as I quickly, but not quick enough, pulled my foot back up on the floor. I hurried downstairs to sounds of “what happened?” and explanations of, “I’m okay, but I need to see what the damage is.” I found the spot in the utility room, fortunately, where my foot pushed almost through the ceiling.

A few weeks later the power went out all over town and I needed to run the heater off of a generator. I considered how to get an extension cord up the stairs through the house; my heater is in the attic. Then suddenly as if by inspiration it hit me. I already had a hole in the ceiling close enough to an outside door to run a cord almost directly to the heater. Now my accident seemed almost providential, to me at least.

Time went on. Joyce wanted it fixed before Jamie’s wedding but things got too busy. Then summer came and it got too hot to work in the attic. I thought it was beyond my abilities to do by myself, even though I sheet rocked my shop by myself. Besides, it was in the utility room where no one ever sees it. Okay, Joyce saw it every time she went into the utility room. And, I could see it from my office. But it was easy to ignore.

Then, last week, I overheard Joyce talking about it on the phone with a daughter. The words that caught my attention were, “Things like that are just not as important to men as they are to us.” Hmmm. I suddenly realized that my hole was more than a simple misstep by me. It was a flaw in the home of the one I treasured most in this world. Furthermore, it was a flaw I caused and should have fixed a long time ago.

Saturday, after she left for the morning, and without telling her what I was doing, I fixed the hole. It took me less time than I thought. I still have some finish work to do but the hole is fixed. When she came home I showed her what I had done, she smiled and gave me a big hug and a “thank you.” Then she took me out to buy me a birthday present at Sportsman’s Warehouse.

The Bible says, “Husbands, love your wives.” (Eph. 5:25) When was the last time you expressed it in a way she appreciates? Maintaining a relationship is more important than maintaining a house. But it can also be just as simple.

Bro. Robin

PS. I submitted this to Joyce for her review, since it is also about her. This was her response: “I like the article, but MAN, you are SLOW!!!! love ya.”

Spiritual Priorities

2007-06-27T12:26:00.000-07:00

How do we prioritize our spiritual life and bring it into focus? How can we relate that to our ministries as a church?

Proverbs 29:18a, King James Version, says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish. But he that keepeth the law, happy is he” The New Living Translation says, “When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild. But whoever obeys the law is joyful.” This verse describes the need for focus with the word of God as our priority.

I would say that our first concerns should be the things that define us as Christians. What is our relationship to Jesus Christ? Do we read and obey His Word? Do we pray? Do we fellowship with believers? Do we tell others about Him as a witness?

My second group of concerns would be the things that define me as a member of this church. Do I attend? Do I contribute? What is my ministry? Am I doing my part in making the vision of this church a reality? With what group, or Sunday school class, do I fellowship?

My third group of concerns would be very simple. What else can we do to lift up Jesus and make worship a more meaningful experience for everyone?

I am sure many of us would have different lists, or word them differently. I would like to know what you think. How would you prioritize the ministries of your church? How would you prioritize your spiritual life? Email me at dr_robin@fbcgentry.org, or drop off your thoughts at the office.

At the Southern Baptist Convention a question was asked about a kind of theological triage to sort out issues under discussion. (search “triage” at almohler.com). The idea was suggested that primary issues identify us as Christians, secondary issues identify us as Baptists, and tertiary issues can be discussed and disagreed on without disrupting the fellowship. This rating scale for issues got me thinking about how we prioritize our Church ministries, and our own spiritual lives.

In keeping with the above rambling thoughts, how would you perform spiritual triage on your church? How would you perform spiritual triage on yourself?

Bro. Robin

Unity and Agreement

2007-06-13T13:11:00.001-07:00

The Southern Baptist Convention is wrapping up its work in San Antonio. While many people who call themselves Baptist have little or no awareness of the Convention or how our denomination works, there are others who are totally absorbed and obsessed with it. I like to think I am somewhere in the middle of the extremes. I think it is important to know what is going on. Some aspects of our denomination affect us here.

The most important decision so far has been a strong affirmation of the Baptist Faith and Message, our doctrinal statement of faith. This statement on the BF&M was adopted earlier this year by our executive committee and reads as follows:

"The Baptist Faith and Message is neither a creed, nor a complete statement of our faith, nor final and infallible; nevertheless, we further acknowledge that it is the only consensus statement of doctrinal beliefs approved by the Southern Baptist Convention and such is sufficient in its current form to guide trustees in their establishment of policies and practices of entities of the Convention."

This statement does several things. First it says the BF&M is good enough as it is and we don’t need to add to it to please every little group that comes along. The statement also says something about who we are as a Convention. We are a collection of autonomous churches who have agreed to cooperate for the sake of missions and for the gospel. An important part of our cooperation is our agreement on the most important doctrines. That is the purpose of the BF&M. Beyond that we realize that there will never be an end to what we can disagree on. But we all agree that the Gospel is the main thing, and we need to keep it that way.

Unity and agreement are not the same things. Jesus calls us to unity. Together we will be victorious, but division is defeat. Agreement, total agreement anyway, is an impossible dream. I once heard that for every two people there are at least three opinions. With the love of Jesus comes respect and with respect comes unity. We can work together without having to be carbon copies of each other.

Besides, if we were all alike, wouldn’t that be boring? Read Psalm 2:4

Bro. Robin

Empty Nest

2007-05-30T18:33:00.000-07:00

The big wedding day has come and gone and Joyce and I are finally getting rested up. We appreciate so much this church and all the people who helped with, and attended, the wedding. We are blessed with the choices our children have made as we see our family grow.

Someone decorated my truck, as our attention was on the newlyweds, with the words, “Empty Nest,” and, “Free at Last.” I understand the sentiment of both expressions but see them both as misnomers.

All of the kids have been out of the house for several years, counting college, work, and marriages. So the nest is only empty part of the time. When they are all away it is quiet but Joyce and I have learned to enjoy the time together. When they are here the nest has never been fuller, and gets fuller with every passing year. Now there are grandchildren to enlarge the nest. What I always heard is true. They are more fun than their parents were. But their parents also seem to be more fun now. So maybe we have gotten better too.

I also would not say we are free at last. Every stage of life brings new responsibilities and blessings. Our relationships with our families change like seasons with the seasons of our lives. There is a touch of sadness when we do not get to see them as often as we would like. Our children are scattered all across the country living their own lives. But that is what we raised them to do. At some point the fruit leaves the tree, is planted, and grows into its own tree. There is also a joyful satisfaction as we see our children grow into their own persons.

There comes a time when we all say goodbye to our childhood and become adults. I have discovered that adulthood has many major shifts as well. We can try to hold on to the past, but the past does not cooperate well with that approach. Or, we can embrace each new turn in the journey of life as an adventure. I prefer the adventure.

Bro. Robin
1 Corinthians 13:11-13

Blossoms and Fruit

2007-05-30T18:29:00.000-07:00

The ice is finally over, we hope, and things are beginning to bloom, again. The rain we have been seeing lately has brought out green growth everywhere. Spring is here and it is a joy to see things bloom and grow. It is no different in the church than it is outside.

I see blossoms of children as I look at plans under way for the summer children’s’ program and children’s camp. It is always a joy to see so many children here two days a week all summer as they go on activities, learn about Jesus, and have fun together.

I see sprouts of youth getting ready for leadership training, the Iowa Mission Trip, and Youth Camp. We will see our leaders shine and all of the youth grow in ways that will bless us all, and maybe even surprise themselves a little.

I see the fruit of missions setting on as the Bahamas Mission Crew starts training to sail. We will be doing Vacation Bible School and Sports Evangelism for two days each at two different locations in the Bahamas. We will also be doing market place evangelism, holding beach services, and crewing our own boat, (with the help of Captain Steve). Pray for us as we take 18 members on this unique mission trip.

I also see the garden being tended by a helpful group of servants as many of you take time to serve the Lord this summer. There will be projects with the Outdoor Ministry, Building and Grounds Ministry, and many others with opportunities for everyone to serve, have fun, and fellowship together in the Lord.

One big building project will be the remodeling of the Gates house for offices. We are already in it but a lot of work still needs to be done. We also need to raise around $20,000 for the project. We need your help. Give generously of your time and resources and let’s make this the best summer ever at First Baptist Church, Gentry.

Bro. Robin

Cold Snap

2007-04-11T09:57:00.000-07:00

It is amazing what a little cold weather can do. I was really enjoying this spring. All the flowers and trees were budding out. The leaves on my Japanese Maple were really looking like this would be the year for it to come into its own. Then the cold came. Like many of you, I covered as much as I could with drop cloths and sheets, night after night. But it was just too cold too long. That which started out beautiful is now wilted.

The experts I read and hear are saying that we should wait and see what the plants will do. The damage is done and trimming or feeding the plants could cause more damage. It is sad but there are limits to what we as humans have control over. When we reach those limits we have to let God do what God can do.

I thought about our spiritual lives and how this cold snap relates to us. We too can be doing so well in our Christian walk and one cold incident can set us back. It can be something outside our control like an illness or tragedy, or something to someone close to us. It can be a lapse in our behavior, giving in to temptation, anger, or some other bad habit of the flesh. Like the cold weather on the plants it can take the glow of Christ off our faces, drag us down, and lead to something worse if we do not take important precautions.

What can we do? We can cover ourselves against the cold just like the plants. Instead of drop cloths and sheet we cover ourselves with prayer and bible reading everyday. If the cold lingers we need to get to church for worship and fellowship. We then need to apply these coverings in the way that God directs for each of us. He has a plan that puts us in the center of God’s purpose and will.

Cold winds blow, on plants and people. That is why Paul said, “Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” (Ephesians 6:11)

Dr. Robin

Do Overs!

2007-04-10T20:24:00.000-07:00

In the summer time my neighbor had a basketball goal. I was never very good one on one playing basketball; he was taller and had more reach. But I could shoot good enough to keep up playing “horse.” We took turns shooting and trying to duplicate each other’s shot and when one missed the other got a point and could choose the next shot. Sometimes the game got intense and we resorted to more creative measures to get the other to miss. So, we had to come up with some rules. You could not actually touch the player who was shooting or directly interfere with the shot. If you did the player was allowed a “do over.” He got to do it over again.

It would be nice if everything in life allowed for a “do over” when we make a mistake or someone interferes with us. We could have made better grades in school. We would all have started saving money earlier. We would have no regrets about anything. It could all be fixed with a “do over.”

God has given us the next best thing to a “do over.” He provided a way for us to be forgiven for all our sins, through faith in Jesus, and start our life at a fresh new point as if the past had never happened. It is not a total “do over” in the sense that we cannot go back and fix things and still have to live with the physical consequences of some of our mistakes. But it is as close as we can get from God’s perspective. He forgets our mistakes and His memory is the one that counts in eternity.

Spring represents God’s attitude about life. Every year the earth gets a fresh start. This new start has to build on the growth and decay of previous years. But that can also be a good thing when we allow God to do the building. He is the master designer. If He can build a universe out of nothing He can build a life for you out of what you have so far.

That is what it really means when Paul says, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love the God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28) Is it time for a “do over” in your life?

Dr. Robin

The Wise, Children, and Secret Knowledge

2007-03-10T10:09:00.000-08:00

One Wednesday night at Bible Study we were discussing a question about a passage. As I was answering a question I remarked that I could give the historical background but that I would not do that this time and go for the simple answer instead. One of the younger participants said loudly, “Good.” When everyone laughed, she laughed too, and said, “Well, you know ten times more useless information than anyone I know.” I had to laugh at myself. Sometimes I get so caught up in the details I lose sight of the question and make the answer more complicated than it should be.

When I study something I want to know all sides and details. But many of those details are just that, details. The Bible is written so that the basic truths can be understood by anyone. No special education, or secret knowledge, is required. We can all read God’s Word for ourselves.

In Luke 10:22, (and Matthew 11:25), Jesus says, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes.”

This verse got me thinking. There are many more times in Jesus ministry where He rejected the “wise” men of His day. He preferred the more obvious approach, the kind that was so obvious a child could get it. That is why His story translates so well. Basic truths do not need hidden meanings.

That does not mean education is totally unimportant. Knowing the languages of the Bible, for example, can help us clarify the meaning of scripture. Difficult passages can become easier to understand with a little study. There are passages with deeper meaning that can raise the level of our knowledge of God. But a deeper understanding of scripture should make the meaning clearer, simpler, and more practical, not point us in a different direction from basic truth.

His Word says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever,” (Heb. 13:8), and “‘But the word of the Lord endures forever.’ Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.” (1 Pet. 1:25)

God’s Word is for you today, all of it. Read His Word for all its worth.

Bro. Robin

When the power goes off

2007-02-13T14:31:00.000-08:00

With the recent ice and snow storms we found ourselves staying in a little more and appreciating simple things. We take for granted things like electricity, light, heat, the ability to cook, and the things we have come to depend on for entertainment. Hearing from others I found a variety of reactions.

Some were so connected to their technology that they sat around bundled up in the dark, using all their resources to stay warm. Others put another log on the fire and enjoyed a conversation or game without being interrupted. It seemed to divide us by generations. The older generation made do while the younger generation fretted over the situation.

It seems that we have forgotten how to make the most of every situation. It also seems that we have allowed technology to communicate with us and for us so much that we have nearly forgotten how to communicate with each other. I was glad when the lights came back on. But I also enjoyed the challenge of finding things to enjoy while they were off.

The bible reminds us that if God takes care of the sparrows He can surely take care of us. We know that in our heads but how often do we trust Him in our hearts and lives? I read once that the distance between heaven and hell is the same as the distance between your head and your heart. It is also the distance between faith and fear.

The power is back on in our houses but it may be a good time to check the power in our relationships. What do you do when it is just you to yourselves? “He who loves his brother abides in the light.” 1 John 1:10a

There is no substitute for time spent in a relationship with God and with others.

Why I am a Southern Baptist

2007-01-24T13:08:00.000-08:00

I have been a Southern Baptist all my life but the journey has not been a blind one or an easy one all the time. My parents were active in Jefferson Heights Baptist Church when I was born and the only time we moved our membership away from there was to help the mission church, Echo Valley Baptist, for a time while Dad led their music. After our time at the mission we made a few side trips to see what some other denominations offered. It was just Mom, Dad, and I left at home, and they were not at all sure if being Baptist was meeting their Spiritual needs at the time.

We would visit other churches for weeks, sometimes months at a time, to see for ourselves what they really believed and practiced. The churches we visited like this included United Pentecostal, with our neighbor, Assembly of God, Nazarene, Holiness, Church of God, and other Baptist churches. Eventually we came back to Jefferson Heights Baptist, where I was licensed to preach, but these experiences left a lasting impression on me.

In College I continued to visit around. I became friends with a born again Catholic layman, Ralph Flori, who became a mentor and friend. I also came to know and respect the Baptist Student Center Director, Dr. Thomas Messer. These two men helped me understand God’s call on my life and how that could best be realized as a Southern Baptist. (Years later Ralph and I renewed contact with each other online and he shared with me how he eventually left the Catholic Church to become a Baptist!) During those years I made the decision to be a Baptist, by choice. My senior year I fell in love with a Baptist girl and became the interim pastor at County Line Baptist Church. The rest, as they say, is history.

I made the decision to be a Baptist by choice for several reasons that are still very important to me. I want to mention just three of them.

First, I chose to be a Southern Baptist because our claim to be a people of the book, the Bible, is more than a claim, it is a way of life. We read the Bible, study the Bible, teach the Bible, and practice the Bible with an open heart and mind more than any other group I have experienced. I speak comparatively here. I remember a Sunday School mission statement that read, “Teach the Bible to win the lost and encourage the saved.”

We are unyielding on primary doctrines and for most of my life we have allowed discussion at the table on secondary doctrines. One concern that drove me away from other denominations back to the Baptists was that most other denominations have made one interpretation of secondary issues into a primary doctrine. We need to stay on our guard against that.

Second, I chose to be a Southern Baptist because we believe in the Grace of Jesus Christ and the power of God to save. We believe in being soul-winners. We may not all go about it the same way. But, the main thing is still the main thing.

Third, I chose to be a Southern Baptist because we have found a way to support missionaries and missions that far outdoes everyone else. We pool our resources in the Cooperative Program which allows every church, big and small, to share in the greater work of the Kingdom. Our missionaries can focus on bringing salvation to the lost while they are on the field and sharing testimonies to inspire us when they come home. We do missions right.

Baptists are like any other group of people. We do not agree all the time on everything. We would not be Baptists if we did. However, we do agree on the most important things. Sometimes we drift into faulty areas and need a correction. Sometimes the correction drifts too far. Correction needs to be exercised with a heavy dose of wisdom. I still believe being a Southern Baptist is the best choice, until Jesus comes back.

Dr. Robin